Destiny
by Black flash123
Summary: Abandoned by his parents in favour of their famous twin, Roderick Potter the 'boy-who-lived'; Hadrian ventures into the magical world showing promise of skill, brilliance, and unlike his brother, competence. How will he change the magical world? How will he fare against foes like Dumbledore and Voldemort? How will the hallows help him in achieving his goal? Revolutionary Harry.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

"Breakfast boy!"

Harry cursed as he brought up the dishes to the table. Thankfully Aunt Petunia decided that Dudley shouldn't have to experience his cooking today and she would take control over the kitchen; but that didn't mean that he was left free. No no no, Aunt Petunia gave out orders left and right while he was forced to obey them. His back still hurt after _accidently falling_ from the stairs. Dudley seemed happy after reporting the _happy_ incident to his mother.

Serving breakfast, he made his way to his cupboard. He cursed again as he lay on his bed. Falling with a thud on a bruised back was _not_ a good idea. He took off his shirt and examined the bruises he sported now. They ran mostly on the either side of his spine. He closed his eyes to concentrate; he needed to heal them. Taking slow labored breaths he _willed_ them to go away. To _heal._ Slowly but surely the bruises faded away. Almost like _melting_ into his skin to reveal new unsullied skin. He let out a sigh of relief. He had been lucky this time. Usually he had to sit for _hours_ wishing for his body to heal. _Maybe I'm getting better,_ he thought. The trick was to concentrate, utilize his entire will power for these trivial injuries to heal. He shuddered when he thought about anything major. Dudley broke his rib once. _That_ took a solid week!

"Oi Freak! Its here!" a voice yelled.

He jumped up and raced towards the hall. Dudley and Petunia stood on either side of the 'high chair' or the 'head chair' on which Vernon sat. Vernon was clutching the letter with all his might. Harry could tell because his fingers were white.

"Give it to me, Uncle" he said quietly. Vernon sneered but offered him the letter nonetheless. He knew the consequences of emotionally upsetting the freak. Hadrian opened the letter revealing many folds of parchments written on with green ink.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

 _(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf Warlock,_

 _Supreme Mugwump of the ICW_ )

Harry idly noted the titles as he flipped towards the next side of the letter.

 _Dear Mr. Potter,_

 _We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find the list of all necessary books and equipment._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Prof. Minerva McGonagall_

Harry gawked as he eagerly turned the parchment again.

 _UNIFORM_

 _First-year students will require:_

 _1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black)_

 _2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear_

 _3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)_

 _4\. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)_

 _Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags._

 _COURSE BOOKS_

 _All students should have a copy of each of the following:_

 _The 'Standard Book of Spells' (Grade 1)_

 _by Miranda Goshawk,_

' _A History of Magic'_

 _by Bathilda Bagshot ,_

' _Magical Theory'_

 _by Adalbert Waffling,_

' _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration'_

 _by Emeric Switch,_

' _One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi'_

 _by Phyllida Spore,_

' _Magical Drafts and Potions'_

 _by Arsenius Jigger_

' _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'_

 _by Newt Scamander,_

' _The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection'_

 _by Tom Marvolo Riddle_

 _OTHER EQUIPMENT_

 _1 wand_

 _1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)_

 _1 set glass or crystal phials_

 _1 telescope_

 _1 set brass scales_

 _All items shall be available in Diagon alley_

 _DO NOTE: Once again, Hogwarts will allow first years their own broom._

"Great!" Harry exclaimed. "When are we going? Today? We haven't got a lot of time!"

Vernon's expression turned gleeful. "We aren't taking you! Your Parents are!"

Harry's face turned stormy. He _hated_ his _parents._ He still remembered. He still remembered the night he was abandoned. His eidetic memory wasn't likely to forget. A dark night. _James and Lily Potter,_ he thought vengefully, had gone out for the first time in months, for _quality time._ Soft footsteps and the nursery door crumbling apart. A red hooded man that glared at him. He remembered not being able to identify the feelings in the eyes of the man. _Hate? Confusion? Or Both?_ But it didn't matter. A green flare hit him and all the world was black.

When he returned, the old bearded man proclaimed Harry a squib whilst at the same time pronouncing his twin _Roderick Charlus Potter_ the 'boy who lived'. Fear had taken him that day when they left him on the stone pavement like a milk bottle. _Never again,_ he thought. _One day, they will pay,_ he promised himself.

"When do they come?" he asked.

"An hour" Petunia replied. Harry nodded solemnly.

He went upstairs to dress up. He needed to be presentable. He garbed himself in black, grey rather, the colour had faded after repeated use. He looked at himself in the mirror. The emerald eyes never failed to remind him of the green flare, _Avada Kedavra._ He was entranced by the beauty of his own eyes. _I'm probably a narcissist,_ he thought. He looked at his face once more. _No no, this won't do! I have to look better than him!_

He slowly changed his face, morphing it into something he considered desirable. Usually he wasn't concerned by such petty needs, and stuck to his normal face as much as possible, unless he was stealing books from the library; but today, he needed to look perfect. He had been waiting for this day. The day when his parents would come to pick him up when they realized he was a wizard. _Honestly,_ Harry scoffed, _who could mistake me for a squib!_ He had been performing accidental magic ever since he could remember, flying toys for himself and Rod. _They probably thought that it was his,_ he thought bitterly.Satisfied with his look, he went on. It was almost time.

XXX

There they were, his parents, standing in front of him outside Privet Drive No. 4. His mother looked exactly as he remembered her, while his father now sported a beard. Roderick, on the other hand, looked _very_ different. He was chubby with a round face. Brown hair and eyes of mud, Harry couldn't recognize his twin anymore.

They all wore expensive garments, robes adorned with intricate patterns in gold and red. The necklace on Lily's neck didn't look cheap either.

Lily gave him a nervous smile, trying and failing to look motherly.

"Harry dear, I'm Lily and this is James and Roderick" she introduced, pointing at the two males, they nodded in conformation.

"Roderick is your twin brother…" she began, "and is famous. You see Harry, there was this Dark Lord You-kno-"

"I know the story!" Hadrian cut in impatiently. "I also know that you abandoned me, your first born! _You_ sent me off so that Roderick could enjoy all his comforts without having to share!"

James frowned. "That's not true Harry, we thought you were a squib! After all, you never performed accidental magic. You can hardly blame us for that!"

" _What!_ Are you serious?" Harry said incredulously. " _I_ was the one who was _always_ performing magic!"

"Don't lie you squib! You never did any magic! It was all me!" shouted Roderick in between. Harry fumed and was about to retort when Lily interrupted.

"There's no need for that dear. Harry is just a little bitter"

"A _little_ bitter?" Harry laughed scornfully.

"Enough of this! Let us all go to Diagon Alley and shop what we need, and Harry, you clearly know what happened. All we can say is that it was for the best" said James with a tone of finality.

Harry's jaw dropped and James caught hold of his arms and apparated.

The twisting feeling of apparition was not Harry had felt before. He almost threw up and was barely able to hold it in his stomach.

 **'** _ **Ollivanders, makers of fine wand since 382 BC'**_

Harry and his _family_ entered the shop. It looked like no one bothered dusting it in years. The place had an _old_ smell to it. The place also smelt of a wood polisher. Racks of small black boxes lined the shelves and Harry guessed that there were more than a hundred. He heard the sliding of a shelf and from behind came an old man with the craziest Einstein hair Harry had seen and creepy grey eyes that seemed to _gaze_ at his very soul.

"Ah, the potter twins! I was wondering when you'd finally show up, Hadrian Potter. I was shocked to learn of your existence from Dumbledore last month! Anyways let's start with you, young Roderick, eh"

 _Of course he would choose my brother, He was, after all, the 'important' son._

"Excuse me Ollivander" butted in James. "Is it possible for James to get a custom wand? After all, he'll need a well suited wand to defeat enemy Death Eaters"

Ollivander seemed annoyed. "Auror Potter, I will make a custom wand for young Roderick if all the wands in my shop fail to suit him. I highly doubt if it will come to that" he snapped back and motioned Roderick to come forward.

Rod went forward with a smug expression on his fat pudgy face. "Which is your wand arm?" asked Ollivander. Roderick raised his right hand to Ollivander and within seconds tapes sprang out of drawers and started measuring his hand, specifically his palm and fingers. When the tapes were done they went back to their drawers and a note materialized in front of Ollivander and he frowned at it. He went to the bottom of his many racks before returning with a bunch of boxes. He opened up the first one and presented it to Rod.

"10 inches, dragon heartstring, quite stiff" he proclaimed, handing the wand to Rod. Rod to the wand and stood there dumbly.

"Well give it a wave!"

Rod waved the wand expecting something to happen. Nothing did. Ollivander seemed disappointed as well. Usually _something_ happened. He presented Rod with a dozen more wands and nothing happened. Harry was starting to get impatient and he could tell the others were as well.

Ollivander gave another wand and this one had different results. A warmth enveloped the air and muddy brown sparks came out of the end of the wand. "9 inches, apple wood, hippogriff nose hair, _very bendy_ " proclaimed Ollivander.

Harry was literally bubbling with laughter in his head while his face only showed a sly grin. He didn't know an _effing_ about wandlore but definitely knew that the wand that chose Rod was _not_ an impressive one. Almost _insulting_. _Hippogriff nose hair?_

"It seems Roderick, that you don't need a custom wand after all" said a smug Ollivander. "Even the oddest of customers will find a wand in my shop"

Roderick was, on the other hand, _quite_ horrified. "No way! I want a different one. The wand doesn't even look good and is definitely not powerful!"  
Almost insulted, Ollivander replied, "The wand chooses the wizard potter, not the other way around." James didn't say a word. Maybe he knew that there was nothing that could be done.

"Come forth, Hadrian" Ollivander called. With a jolt he remembered that it was his turn. Excitement and sudden nervousness filling him, Harry stepped forward.

"Which is your wand arm, Hadrian"

Unsure, Harry replied, "Both, I guess. I am ambidextrous sir" Ollivander's eyes widened in surprise. "It is rare to meet an ambidextrous in the wizarding world, Hadrian Potter. We'll just have to measure both-"

"DAD, can we go now? Harry and I are twins, so we should end up with similar wands so there is nothing to see here and you can pay for both wands as all wands are of the same price!"

His dad sighed. Both parents looked at Harry for confirmation. Harry nodded. He didn't care. The only problem would be finding them after getting his wand. Well, he'd been planning on exploring Diagon Alley anyways, he supposed. The potters sighed and left with a promise of buying all the books and materials for him. The only thing he'd have to be there for robes, which was reasonable.

"I feel sorry for you, lad. The audacity and arrogance of your brother even exceeds your fathers, which is quite troubling itself."

Harry waved of the sympathy and raised both of his arms, while the tapes did their work. When they were done the note that materialized in front of Ollivander mad the wand maker frown even more deeply than the one he gave while it was Rod's turn.

"What's wrong" Harry asked, confused. All of a sudden Ollivander went up to the door and flipped the sign telling that the shop was closed. "You, young man, are going to try every single wand in my shop"

XXX

Here he was, trying wand number fifty-two, already tired of this. He was about to speak up when Ollivander got up with a jump and scurried off to another shelf. Harry was just about to follow him when Ollivander came back with a dusty old box that looked decades old.

"This wand, my boy, is a _very, very,_ special wand. Albus Dumbledore gave it to me about 60 years ago."

He opened the box and there it was, a wand 15 inches long that seemed to shine with ethereal beauty, which looked ancient and new at the same time. Guided by instinct, he reached out with his hand to grab the wand.

Black coloured sparks immediately came out of the wand and a cool feeling enveloped him and ice started forming everywhere. He immediately knew that this was his wand and it had chosen him. He could literally feel his magical core dancing.

Ollivander took out his wand from his robes and banished the ice, instead of melting it, which would have flooded the entire shop. He had a grave expression on his face and said "Hadrian, your wand is an ancient wand, rumoured to be crafted by death himself! Read the story of the three brothers to understand the origins of the wand. The owners of the three objects that you'll learn about in the story were your ancestors, namely Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus Peverell; and be, careful," The next thing he knew, he was out of the shop!

XXX

Harry walked down the alley, slightly unnerved by his experience at the wand shop. Ollivander said that his wand was special and ancient, rumoured to be crafted by death himself. _How is that even possible,_ he thought.

He had also told Harry to read the story of the three brothers and something about them being his ancestors, Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus Peverell. Oh he was definitely going to read the story, because he needed answers, and fast.

And yet there he was, marveling at the sight before him. There were wizards and witches bustling everywhere. He saw different shops, some which were very small, but looked bigger on the inside while looking through the windows. Some looked like different buildings were put together, one on top of the other and all on the brink of collapsing on each other but held together by magic.

He entered a few shops and was intrigued by the interiors of the shops. Everything was magical, there was no light bulb or anything but instead a circular ball of light floating around in the air, although some shops also seemed to use lamps and torches. He soon exited, driven out by the noise of the crowd of customers. All the families were here with their children for their Hogwarts shopping. He continued walking on what could be considered as the main street.

Instead of walking towards the great marble building that was Gringgots, which would have been the smart thing to do, he walked towards the direction opposite it, down the slightly sloped path.

He saw different types of wizards everywhere. Some of them wearing expensive clothing and having a pompous air around them. With all of that they also had a certain elite aura around them. They all seemed to have a calm, cool expression fixed on their faces. They seemed to _ooze_ superiority. They all seemed very quiet and self-preserved. Harry immediately guessed that they were a kind of aristocrats in the wizarding world and that they were important, maybe even in the functioning of the wizarding government. On the other hand, he saw some poorly dressed redheaded folk who unlike the rich guys, were loud and obnoxious. All of them had freckles, which was okay, and a little dirt on their faces, which was not okay. _Seriously, didn't these people take a bath or something?_ Harry could literally smell the stench of their clothes, which looked like it was about 10 years old and had never been through a wash.

He could hear a commotion nearby. Curiosity getting the better of him, he followed the noise. He went towards the left through a particularly crowded street and saw what the big deal was.

 _'DAILY PROPHET AND THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC PRESENT THE 1 MILLION GALLEON PRIZE TO THE PERSON WHO CAN ANSWER THIS RIDDLE'_ said a yellow and red colour banner.

 _So this is a kind of lottery_ , he mused. So if he answered this riddle right, he would instantly become a millionaire in the wizarding world. The riddle definitely had to be tricky, if so many people couldn't get it right.

He saw a queue of people attempting the riddle. A million galleons was a lot of money and people were definitely taking their chances. It turns out the people who attempted to answer the riddle and failed to do so would have to then pay about 20 galleons as a penalty. Most of the attempters were of the middle class although there were a few wizards dressed in drab who were crying at their failure to answer the riddle which had made them 20 galleons poorer.

It was good business, really, for the ministry and the daily prophet, because of they put a hard enough riddle that nobody could answer, and about 50 people tried everyday for a month, they could earn about 28,000 galleons per month! As long as it was a hard riddle so that they didn't have to pay up the million galleons, the lottery was just easy money. Harry had to hand it over to them, this was a brilliant idea! It was extremely risky to put this kind of an idea into action as the loss could be a million galleons! However, if they did it right, then this could be a _very_ easy money making scheme.

Harry had always been good at riddles, and usually got them right. He had started debating if he should give the riddle a try. He didn't have 20 galleons, but wouldn't need it if he could answer the riddle right. This could make him a millionaire, but the issue of paying up 20 galleons if he answered wrong still remained. After a few minutes of debating, he decided he would try the riddle out.

Taking a deep breath, he went to stand in the queue, which had now grown short, with just a few wealthy wizards in front of him.

After a few moments he heard one of the angry poor wizards screaming.

"This Riddle doesn't make any sense! I am going to report this to the ministry you bloody morons!"

"This is _by_ the ministry, you _fool! And don't dare say a word! You swore an oath!"_ , shouted back a person who had to be an employee.

The incident made Harry nervous. The man could be right, they could just put up a senseless riddle that couldn't be answered! Like _'What came first, the chicken, or the egg?_ ' Harry started another internal debate in his mind, only to discover that he was next.

"What's a kid like you doing here?" asked a gruff voice. Harry looked up to see a large man. He had brown hair and eyes with a scruffy beard on his chin. He was wearing a robe that could be the equivalent of a suit in the wizarding world and he seemed to be in charge of the place.

"Is it not obvious, sir? I am here to try my luck at this riddle." answered Harry as politely as he could. The man and two others started laughing at this point. "You sure kid?"

Harry just nodded his head in response.

"You know what, if you get the answer wrong, you don't have to pay anything. However, you still have to sign the oath of secrecy." the man said.

Harry sighed a breath of relief. Now, even if they gave him an unanswerable riddle, there would be no consequences for him. He nodded his head. "Sir, you said that I have to sign an oath of secrecy. Could you please elaborate?" asked harry.

"Aye kid, all you have to do is sign this piece of paper which binds your magical core to an oath of secrecy that you will not reveal the riddle in any manner to anyone." the man answered back. Harry nodded and immediately took out a pen from his pocket and signed it. The man took the paper back from him, not checking the name on it, but instead narrowed his eyes, eyeing the pen warily. Nevertheless, he laid a box in front of Harry on the desk. Harry nearly jumped when a clown head jumped out of the box. He looked at the man for an explanation.

"You have to ask it for the riddle and it shall tell you boy" he explained. Harry's eyes widened in surprise. Magic was truly wonderful!

In a clear voice Harry said, "Tell me the riddle" and after a slight show of hesitation, said "please".

The clown bobbed its head and recited-

" _I have been heard countless times, but not seen in any of the times. I will not speak back until I am spoken to"_

 _Okay. That doesn't sound so hard_ , he thought. It was a relatively simple riddle, he would just have to break it down, bit by bit.

 _'Many have heard me countless times but not seen me in any of the times',_ Okay, it was obvious that it was a sound and not a thing or anything like that and most importantly has been heard many times.

 _'I will not speak back until spoken to'_. A sound that can exist only if one spoke to it. A sound that can exist only if one spoke to it _. What could it be?_ And then it struck Harry. The answer was plain and simple and clear as day! An _echo!_

"An echo" answered Harry immediately. The clown bobbed its head and burst into flames.

"You got it?" the man asked incredulously. He couldn't believe it. No one up till recently answered the riddle, not even those pompous Ravenclaws. Harry nodded and the ashes of the clown was the only confirmation the man needed.

"Who are you kid? I am Theodore Pitt by the way" said the man in a polite tone, while ushering Harry inside a cabin.

"I am Hadrian Potter, Mr. Pitt. It's been a pleasure meeting you Sir"

"Potter? I thought there were only three of them? Are you a distant relative?" asked Theodore.

"Well, sir. I am Roderick's older brother, but was abandoned by my parents after they mistook me for a squib when Roderick became the boy who lived. I was left with my muggle relatives and only recently did I get my Hogwarts letter."

The man was horrified! "That's terrible lad, I knew that fame had gone into their heads but I didn't know that this was the extent of it! Wait till this gets out kid-Mr. Potter. I bet they'll be ruined. To think that I thought of them as heroes!" he exclaimed.

Harry shrugged, but inwardly he was shaking with glee. He would finally get his revenge if the potters suffered public humiliation. He knew he shouldn't hold on to his anger, but that didn't mean he could let go of it.

"Sir… How would I get the money? I mean, surely, you won't just hand me a sack filled with a million galleons would you?" he asked, mustering as much uncertainty into it as he could. The man laughed. "No, certainly not! They money will be sent to your personal vault at Gringgots. And oh! If you don't have a personal account, Gringgots will make one for you, you just have to collect your key" said the man.

Harry became thoughtful. This solved most of his problems, as he didn't want his family taking his money, even thought they were most probably a hundred million galleons richer than him. This also made sure they couldn't track his spending, _and,_ finally he would have a personal vault and wouldn't have to ask for permission to get money; and he could always keep adding money. Financial independence didn't sound bad either.

He finally looked up at the man and asked "Sir, is there a way to keep this quiet? I don't want the whole world to know about this"

The man shook his head, "There's no way, to do that, Mr. Potter, I am sorry but news like these…" he shook his head again "They don't keep quiet for long"

Harry was not surprised. After all, some random eleven year old kid winning a million galleons for answering a riddle? He didn't think so.

Mr. Pitt interrupted his musings and said "Well Mr Potter, I have to write to the ministry that someone answered the riddle" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Wonder what they think when they get to know it was an eleven year old boy who hasn't started even Hogwarts yet who answered it" Harry just grinned back.

"Is this a cue to leave Sir?" The man nodded back. Harry turned his back and walked out of the door. The area was relatively empty and it seemed that the crowd had disappeared. He started walking uphill, towards Gringgots.

—

He arrived at Gringgots to see an angry Potter family waiting for him.

"Do you have _any idea_ how long it's been" his father asked in a scathing tone. Harry barely blinked. "About an hour" he replied casually. James Potter turned red. His mother then quipped up saying "Harry dear, we finished the shopping for you, except for your robes of course. We didn't know your size and so we didn't buy it "Harry immediately saw an opportunity.

"That's fine mother. And I also think I should go buy them alone" seeing his parents' unsure stares, he quickly added "I just want to get a feel of the wizarding world mother and this is a perfect opportunity for me."

Although they still looked unconvinced, they nodded began twisting into space, a sign of apparition. The last he saw of them was Rod sneering at him.

After they were out of sight, he quickly went past the entrance. He saw goblins for the first time, though he already had an idea of what they looked like. He went to the telling counter and asked, "Excuse me, by I recently won a lottery that was by a collaboration of the Daily prophet and the Ministry. I just wanted to get the details and collect my key and I was wondering if you could tell me who I could talk to".

The goblin barely even looked up and pointed at a desk 20 feet away from him, 'New vaults and Money - New customers'. Harry muttered a thanks and walked towards the other desk.

"Sir, I recently won a-" Harry began only to be cut off by the goblin. "I know, I know I heard your miserable voice over there!" snarled the goblin. "We received the letter from the ministry and the money is now in your vault. I suppose you want your key now?" He asked. Harry nodded.

"We need your blood" the goblin said

"You need my _what!"_

"How do you suppose we identify that it's you and not an imposter in the future. In fact how would we know it's _really_ you?" the goblin shot back. Harry nodded taken aback by the sudden retort.

"How much?"

"Just a pinprick"

Harry complied.

"Sir, I was also wondering if there was a way to withdraw money without coming to Gringotts or a way to pay without carrying a huge sack of gold everywhere."

The goblin nodded. "Yes, there is the way of bank slips" he growled. "Every shop in Britain has bank slips for their customers. Customers sign them with the truth ink and the shops submit the slips here to make the transaction" Harry nodded, listening intently.

"Does this work abroad?" he asked.

"Aye it does. The shops don't necessarily have the slips with them but if they do the transaction is still possible. The only requirement is for there to be a gringotts branch.

XXX

Harry was walking down the street when he came across Madam Malkin's. It was apparently the only clothing store worth the knut according to a wizard he asked. He entered the store and say that there was only one women there and she was busy with some other customers. He saw that there was a bench where people were sitting and assumed it was a line and people went to the madam turn wise. He was right. With a sigh he went and sat beside a boy with platinum blond hair.

"Who are you?" asked a bored drawling voice. It was the blond boy.

"No one of importance" Harry said coolly.

The boy didn't seem to care about the unenlightening answer and shrugged.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, heir to the Magical House of Malfoy, twelfth generation pureblood. I'm waiting for mother to finish up with the robes. Boring, that's what it is. Can't wait to get a new broom you know? It's the first time Hogwarts is allowing first years to bring one. I'm going ask mother if she can get me a nimbus."

Harry was unsure how to respond. Just as he was about to, the boy got up and joined a witch with black hair and pale skin. Harry thought she was quite beautiful.

He waited for a minute more before it was his turn.

"What do you need dear, the usual Hogwarts uniform?" the madam asked. Harry nodded and said "Yes mam, I'd also like a full wardrobe. I'm new to the wizarding world you see, don't have a single robe." The madam nodded, assuming Harry was muggleborn.

She began measuring Harry and commented that Harry was quite fit for an eleven year old. Harry just brushed it off. When the measuring was done Harry was presented with the choice of what he wanted. He brought a few emerald robes, a few sapphire, and a set of seven of black ones.

XXX

 _'Trunks for All Purposes'_

Trunks were displayed like furniture in a muggle furniture store. The main crowd was at the standard student trunk section. Harry immediately went to the expensive side where a black trunk had caught his eye.

The Trunk was black with emerald embroidery in the front. The latch with the lock was also of an emerald. The trunk had three compartments, all magically expanded. The first one was for books, the second for clothes and the third for other stuff. Harry brought the trunk with a few damage resistant charms, a locking charm _resistant_ and a password unlockable lock for a sum of 500 galleons. In Harry's opinion, it was money well spent.

Harry next went to the leaky Cauldron deciding he would spend a few nights there. There was no way he was returning to the Dursley's. He was also going to need a lot more books than the normal ones. Maybe even on the forbidden 'Dark Arts'. That sounded more like Harry's thing. He idly realized that his parents hadn't given him any money. _How did they expect me to buy all of this._ He had to send an owl to ask them to send his stuff.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN- Hey everyone! I know its been a long time since I updated a new chapter, my life has been making it difficult to update chapters regularly or well, as regular as it gets.**

 **I also want to thank everyone for reviewing. Your reviews are** _ **very**_ **important to me. I really care what you think about the story. You can also ask questions if you want, and I'll try to answer them without spoiling the story. jh831, thanks for the advice, and I will try to make my chapters as long as possible and will make it my story, which I plan on making epic by the way. Same goes to Celtic Shadow Mage, thank you. ChunkyFunkyMonkey thanks, I will keep that in mind. Elfiesu thank you.**

 **And finally, Sakura Lisel, yes I put the money problem there on purpose. And to Nightingale0708, here is the next chapter!**

 _At Potter Manor, that very day_

Roderick was bored. He had nothing to do. It was nighttime and his mother had problems with him flying at night, saying it was 'not safe'. Potter manor was perfectly safe, thank you very much and the entire area, quidditch pitch included had wards that rivaled Hogwarts' itself and the infuriating part was that mother knew that!

He scowled. He sat there, man spreading on the couch trying to brainstorm ideas on what to do. All he could come up with right now was _quidditch, quidditch and quidditch_. All other activities required at least _one_ more person and Ron had gone back to his house, the _Burrow_.

Ron often came here to play as the _Burrow_ was not as good as Potter manor for Roderick and the fact that the manor had a world class quidditch pitch didn't hurt that perspective either. He sighed and gave up. He stared blankly at his room. It was almost as big as the Weasleys' _house._

The main colors was the classic Gryffindor colors, scarlet bed sheets covered the king size bed (which had a red headboard with gold patterns. The bed sat on the plush carpet that covered the whole room. The walls were covered with various quidditch posters and a few other cool dueling posters that his dad brought for him. There were a few _'boy-who-lived'_ posters as well. The twins and the other older brothers except Percy thought he was an egomaniac for that, but he didn't really care. The ceiling however, had a small but still grand chandelier that lit up the room. The room also had bare minimum furniture, just the way like he liked it, having only a night table and one couch, the one he was sitting on. All in all it could be said that his room was _pretty_ comfortable.

It was almost dinner time now and mom would call him to go downstairs to the dining area. Having nothing to do, he got off the couch and walked downstairs. Usually he did wait until the house elves were done setting the table, but he was really really _bored._ His room was right in front of the stairs and was only a couple steps away from it, but the stairs however were a different story. Compared to the _Burrow's_ stairs, it was _very_ long. This was due to the fact that Potter manor had very high ceilings, not that Roderick resented that. He descended down the stairs and walked towards the dining area. By the looks of it he was just in time.

XXX

The house elves had just told her that dinner was ready and had been set on the table. She was just about to call her son when she saw him walking down the stairs to the dining area. Oh! How she was proud of that boy! They had just done their Hogwarts shopping today and he would be off to Hogwarts in a month! Her little boy had grown up!

"Sweetie, you are just in time for dinner! Come and have a seat" she said, giving him a warm smile. "There are mashed potatoes and broccoli for dinner- and I know that you don't like them" she added seeing his crestfallen face. "However there is chocolate fudge for dessert, but you'll only get them if you finish your broccoli" she warned him. Rod grinned. Everybody knew that he loved chocolate fudge. Literally everyone. It had been mentioned a few times in _Witch Weekly's Youngest._ Every witch wanted to know everything about Rod after all and Lily and James also got paid for it.

They started eating when a thought occurred to Lily. _What happened to Harry?_ Did he go back to the Dursleys? Then she realized that she hadn't even given him any money to buy the clothes from _Madame Malkins._ Then what did he _do?_ Did he not buy anything and went back to Privet Drive or did he stay at the _Leaky Cauldron_. Lilly dismissed that thought at once. He didn't have any money. Although if he was carrying muggle money... her thoughts were interrupted when James shook her slightly.

"Are you alright Lily" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

"I am fine James." She paused. "I was just wondering you know, did harry buy his robes? I mean, we didn't give him any money now did we?" she answered.

James looked thoughtful. "Now that you mentioned it, we didn't give him any money, so that means he hasn't bought his robes!" he exclaimed. Lily nodded "You know what that means James", she sighed. James nodded. "We'll have to go back tomorrow".

"But we _can't_ go _tomorrow_ " interrupted a very annoyed Rod, who had already started his dessert, chocolate fudge. "We are going to the _Puddlemore United_ vs. _Bulgaria_ match, remember?" he said. James frowned, "That is true."

" _James_!" exclaimed Lily.

"Alright, Alright! I give up!" said James, raising his hands in defeat.

"Sweetie, we'll only miss the first few minutes. The match is in the afternoon so we can search for Harry in the morning."

 _The next day at the_ _Leaky Cauldron_

Harry woke up with a yawn. He opened his eyes and squinted as the bright light entered his eyes. He got of the bed and went to the bathroom sink. He was about to brush his teeth when he realized that there was no toothpaste. He cursed under his breath, he would have to do without it now. ' _What a bad beginning to a perfectly good morning'_ he thought. He brushed his teeth and then took a shower and fortunately there were towels. He quickly got dressed up and went downstairs.

"Good morning Tom!" he wished the barman, whose name he had learned yesterday. Tom looked up to him and smiled.

"Hey Harry! Good morning to you too!" he replied. "What's for breakfast? I'm starving!" It was true. He hadn't eaten any dinner yesterday.

"Well, I am afraid that only the ham sandwiches are left Harry" Tom said.

"No Problem Tom. I like sandwiches" Harry replied.

"Alright I'll bring them right in. Would you like some pumpkin juice as well…?" Harry nodded.

After a good and hearty breakfast Harry stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron. He was going to buy some books on the basic dark arts and potions as well as some rare potion ingredients. He would also go searching for The _Tale of the Three Brothers_ in Diagon alley later that day.

He couldn't use his metamorphic abilities to become an adult, but he could become as tall as a fifteen-year-old and he did, and the only problem was that his robes were a bit too short for him and now and his ankles showed, but Harry didn't mind. Looking around hoping that nobody saw him using his abilities, Harry stepped into the dark path that led to Knockturn Alley, or at least the sign said it did. He kept on walking and came across various shops. However, strangely none of them had a sign. Then how was he supposed to know which shop to go to. Nevertheless, he kept on walking and stopped at a shop which _did_ have a sign. _'Borgin and Burkes'_ it said. Judging by its shady appearance, Harry figured he would find some dark arts books here. He entered the seemingly empty shop, which quite strangely, had parts of it tidy and parts of it dusty, like no one had even touched those areas of the shop, even the floor.

"Hello? Anybody here?" he asked. No answer. "Hello is anyone here or is this place free for me to rob?" he repeated.

This got someone's attention as a wrinkled old man came up from behind one of the shelves and said "You shall _not_ touch _anything_ here! You understand me _boy?_ "

Harry's eyes narrowed. Due to his past experience with the Dursleys, Harry didn't really like _anyone_ who called him _boy._ Taking a deep breath and trying to put a dignified air around him, he answered "Of course, I would never steal, I merely wanted to know if there was anyone here, and if there was, I wanted their attention" his tone sickly sweet and mocking.

The man sneered. "You do realize that I don't like any of you pompous purebloods, right?" he asked. This confused Harry. He had assumed this man would be a bigot. A _pureblood_ bigot to be exact. Harry was not sure if this was a test, but he answered anyway.

"No, I am afraid you are mistaken. I am a half-blood you see, my mother was muggleborn while my father was a pureblood". Harry didn't bother to tell the man that he was muggle raised though. He had a feeling that the man would take advantage of that.

The man seemed surprised, but he didn't comment. Instead he said, "What do you want kid, if you're here to waste my time then get the hell outta here."

Felling a little annoyed, Harry asked "I just wanted to know if you have any books on the dark arts-and don't say you don't I know that knockturn alley has loads of it. And if you really don't then can you tell me a place where I can get them?"

The man laughed. "You have some nerve boy! Does _Borgin and Burkes_ have books on the _dark arts?_ Did you ask such types of questions to every one you meet!? Did you ask if there is a library when you went to Hogwarts? _Of course_ we have books on the dark arts! We been selling them for ages! Dark arts, rituals and dark objects is our specialty!" he answered looking like he had heard the joke of the lifetime.

Now very annoyed Harry said "Well, show it to me then!".

"Come along lad, I was just pulling your leg you know? I can sense the power in you. You will become great in the dark arts! You almost remind me of Tom when he was young, he was just like you!" he said, motioning Harry to follow him.

"Who's Tom? And what do you mean you can sense my power?" Harry asked.

The man scowled. His pleasant demeanor changed back to the unpleasant one it had been.

"Tom was an employee here. He worked for me. He became accomplished in the dark arts, he did, and learnt and _performed_ the vilest of magics. Went against nature, he did. Few know what he became. I suggest you don't ask such questions, for you might find yourself unable to ask anymore"

"As for you other question…" the man said his pleasant-self returning, "The ability to sense magic is there within everyone. In fact, some do sense it, but only few know what it is that they are sensing". He suddenly stopped at a shelf that said _'Guides to the Dark Arts and Rituals'._

He squinted his eyes and tried to read the titles on the spine of the books. _'An Introduction to The Dark Arts' by Gerald the grey, 'Realistic Rituals For The Beginners' by Orion Darkson, 'What Are The Dark Arts' by Matilda the knowledgeable._ Harry noticed that none of them seemed to use their actual surname, most probably to protect themselves and their families. He immediately took all of them as well as a few others. He was about to ask the old man, whose name he still didn't know, the cost of all this when a thought occurred to him.

"Hey, do you have any books on parseltongue and parselmouths" he asked. "I recently discovered it's a rare ability among wizards and I have been able to talk to snakes for ages. I wanted to research it and I couldn't get any at 'Flourish and Blotts,' he clarified seeing the man's questioning glance. For some reason, the man became pale. He genuinely looked scared.

"Wha...what did you ask boy" he stuttered. Taking a step back from him. Harry frowned.

"Well, I asked you if you have any books on parseltongue? I know it's a dark ability but considering the fact that your shop seems to be loaded with dark objects and books, I didn't think you would care." The man seemed to regain his wits and nodded slightly. "I do have books on parseltongue, and some _written_ in parseltongue, but how do I know that you are not lying. I don't even know your name for that matter. What is your name? _Full name"_ he asked.

Harry sighed, he knew that it he would have to reveal his name sooner or later for the payment. He knew he was going to be on the papers pretty soon because of the 'Boy-who-lived's brother' thing _and_ the lottery. He didn't want the fact that he was out shopping for the dark arts to get out. Sighing again, in a loud clear voice he said, "My name is Hadrian James Potter, now tell me yours".

The man seemed shocked. "How? My name is Borgin by the way. And to the best of my knowledge, the potters have only one son." Suddenly the man scoffed. "Who are you, some long lost twin?" he laughed at his own joke, while Harry smiled. ' _Oh the irony' he thought._ Seeing Harry's smiling face Borgin stopped laughing. "You really are a long lost twin! Although-" he said after a moment. "He would be younger then you! And you seem to be at least fifteen!" he exclaimed. Harry grinned and changed back to his eleven-year-old self. Borgin looked shocked again. "You! You _are_ just a _boy_! How?!" he asked.

"I am a metamorphagus" Harry said shrugging. That was suitable enough explanation for Borgin. "Alright Potter, though I haven't heard of any parselmouths in the potter line, I'll still test it. If you are really a parselmouth, then you will be able to tell the snake what to do right?" Borgin asked. Harry nodded. "Well then, I will conjure a snake and you do your thing, and command it to do whatever you want to do" he said. Harry nodded although a little doubt came into his mind. ' _How would the man know if I am telling the truth? The snake could just as well slither on the floor and I could claim that I told it to' he thought._ When he voiced his concerns, Borgin grimaced. "I've heard enough parseltongue in my life to know when it is spoken Potter" and without a warning he conjured a snake.

XXX

 _"Serpensortia!"_ yelled Borgin. A bright light flashed and a green snake shot out of his wand. The snake landed on the floor. It seemed confused. It looked around.

 _ **§**_ _Where am I_ _ **§**_ _it hissed._ _ **§**_ _What is this place?_ _ **§**_

Harry saw Borgin looking at him expectantly. Harry rolled his eyes.

 _ **§**_ _You are at Borgin and Burkes. It's a shop. The owner wouldn't believe I could talk to snakes and summoned you for me to prove it to him_ _ **§**_

 _ **§**_ _A speaker!_ _ **§**_ the snake hissed surprised. _**§**_ _There hasn't been a speaker since the dark lord. How is this possible? Who are you master?_ _ **§**_

Harry looked thoughtful. _**§**_ _I don't know_ _ **§**_ he hissed back.

He turned and looked at a petrified Borgin who had gone pale hearing the snake tongue after more than a decade.

He waved his wand and vanished the snaked. He motioned his hand signaling Harry to follow. Harry obliged and did. Borgin led Harry downstairs and halted at a black blank wall. He took out his wand and murmured the words "There is nothing here that can be be found, only something that cannot be found" and tapped the wall three times. The wall rumbled, split and reformed brick by brick arching into an opening. The sight before Harry left him baffled for the first time in years. He was never caught off guard.

It was a library. The greatest library Harry had ever seen. Unlike the rest of the shop there was no sign of dust, dirt or grime. Everything from the furniture to the leather bound books seemed polished and shiny.

Borgin cleared his throat and Harry snapped backed to reality.

" _This…_ " Borgin began "is the greatest accomplishment of my family. For generations, we have collected books on everything about the dark arts we could find. From the basics to the advanced, there are books older that Hogwarts here. Books from the time of Merlin even, though written in a language long forgotten. The dark lord learned all his stuff here you know. Not many people know about this place though. Not even the wealthy purebloods like the Malfoys or the Blacks. You're free to use it. You can't borrow books, but I'll let you stay here however long you want. Just don't perform any magic."

Escalated, Harry couldn't believe his ears. This was definitely the best thing that happened to him so far. He could learn loads here. Heck, if Borgin was telling the truth, even the _Dark Lord_ learned his 'stuff' here.

"Are you serious?" Harry asked.

"Yes boy. You still have to pay me though. This isn't cheap.

For the first time in a long time Harry was truly happy.

"How much?" He asked.

"My family spent millions of galleons on this library and none of them have come back."

Harry heart sank. Would he have to pay _millions?_

"But you don't seem like you shit gold. I'll charge you a knut for every book you take of the shelf."

For the second time today, harry was left speechless. "Are you serious?" he asked once again.

"Yes" Borgin answered.

"Alright, I've got a few errands to run. I'll be back as soon as I'm done with them.

Borgin seemed a bit disappointed but still nodded and led Harry out to the front door.

Harry left the store a little giddy. He smiled. This was turning out to be a good day. He didn't bother to morph back into a fifteen-year-old. He left Knockturn alley the way he came and reentered Diagon Alley. He decided to go back to 'Flourish and Blotts'. Harry still needed to investigate what the Tale of the Three Brothers was. He kept on walking and came across 'Footwear for all needs'. He hadn't gotten a pair of boots yet and was still sporting the old battered canvas shoes that previously belonged to Dudley Dursley and decided it was time to get a new pair.

He entered the shop. It was quite small and was mostly made out of wood and lit by candles. Harry wondered if the owner new that the shop could burn down. He probably did and may have charms in place to prevent that. He heard the sound of shelves sliding and a man appeared from behind. He was bald and aging and wore a pair of glasses.

"Now what might you need, young sir? The man asked in the most polite and soft of tones.

"Um, Just a pair of simple leather boots. Something for everyday wear. Nothing too stiff, I still want to be able to run around in them and nothing to soft either. Oh, give me your best quality, I've got the money." Harry answered back.

The man raised an eyebrow. "Fine, let me get measure your size first" A few measuring tapes literally sprang out of nowhere and measured Harry's feet, just like the way Ollivander's tape measured his hand.

When the tapes where done, the man magically seemed to know what size he was.

"What color?" He asked.

Harry paused. He thought about it. A small smile drew itself on his face. "Black. The darkest and richest black you have" Harry decided

"Very well, that narrows it down a lot. I've got some leather made from the hide of the Acromantula. It's the darkest in the market. It's also the most expensive though. Are you sure you can pay for it boy?"

It was only the man's gentle tone that stopped Harry from getting angry at being called boy. Harry knew that the man didn't mean bad, but this was the one thing harry couldn't bear.

"Call me Harry, and I've got enough money."

"Call me Dave, with no mister, the leather for your boots come up to 800 galleons. The craftsmanship charge is another 200 galleons. Your boots will be ready by tomorrow. How are you going to pay though? You're not carrying any money. Are you going to use a form?" Dave said.

"Yes, I'll make the payment right now, Dave with no mister" Harry answered cheekily.

The old man smiled, as if Harry reminded him of someone. The both went over to the counter and Harry made the payment.

Having no idea what his new boots would look like, he left the store. God it felt good to be rich!

Harry was now back at Flourish and Blotts. He went to the young man who he had learned was named flourish and asked him about the tale of the three brothers.

"Oh, you mean the fairy tale? It's right over there at the Myths and legend section. You'll find a book named the tales of Beedle the Bard. The story should be in that." He answered with a smile.

Harry's eyes narrowed. _A Fairy tale?_ Had Ollivander really told him to go read a children's tale? Nevertheless, Harry went to the 'Myths and legends section' and found the book.

'The Tales of Beedle the bard', the cover read.

Harry turned the pages and found what he was looking for. The tale of the three brothers

XXX

 _This was… this was crazy!_ Harry thought. He was left speechless. His wand was supposedly the most powerful wand in existence! _What did that even mean? Where the spell cast by his wand more potent or were his enchantments more durable?_ Harry couldn't even imagine what he had done to be chosen by such a _special_ wand. It did make sense though, now that he thought about it. His wand simply looked _old_ and felt… _dark and chilly._ But it felt _right._ The story had a feeling of... _right_ in it.

But still, the whole story made Harry more than a little skeptical. The very idea that death was personified as a being made the story sound… _unbelievable._ Also the idea that the owner of all three hallows became the master of death sounded like it was straight out of a fairy tale, which, Harry guessed it was. However, Ollivander _wanted_ Harry to seek this out. He had also straight out told him that his wand was the wand from the story. So where were the _other_ Hallows? What happened to them? Harry figured he would worry about that later.

Ollivander had also told Harry that the three brothers were Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus Peverell. Strange names they were, harry thought. _And they were also my ancestors._ That definitely meant that they were related from his father's side. His mother was, after all, a muggleborn. If he was descended from the Peverells, then weren't the Potters descendants as well? _Interesting._

Harry searched a little more about the deathly hallows at the book store but found nothing. Not even a single mention. When he searched for the Peverells, He again, found nothing. When he asked flourish about it he said that the store didn't really specialize in that sort of stuff, just Hogwarts essentials and the kind. That left Harry a little disappointed. Borgin's library might have a little more information on this he thought. He soon left the shop and bumped into the worst people he could think of in the wizarding world, the Potters.

XXX

"Harry!" "Where have you been? We were worried" asked a very annoyed Lily Potter. She had every right to be annoyed though. "We've been searching you for _hours!_ We even missed the Puddlemore United vs. Bulgaria quidditch match."

Harry just stared blankly at her. Of course, she couldn't expect him to know what quidditch was. He was just as good as a muggleborn when it came to magical knowledge. That wouldn't have been a case in the first place if…she hadn't abandoned him to her sister. That was the gravest mistake of her life.

She had been ecstatic when she heard that it was Rod who brought about the downfall of the dark lord and when Dumbledore told her that Harry, Rods twin, was a squib, she was…disappointed. It felt like the worst thing that could have happened to them, a _shame_ in the family. So she caste him away. Never mentioned him, never thought about him. A few galleons in the right pockets and kept his existence a secret. The papers were taught to pretend he didn't exist and in a few years, the public forgot. All attention was on the younger twin, Roderick. Lily knew, deep in her heart, that she and James had spoilt their youngest son. He was also magically weak. Dumbledore's explanation was that defeating the dark lord might have been magically exhausting and that was the reason for his loss of magical potential. And then his wand, hippogriff _nose hair?_ Was that some kind of joke? If only-

"Lily!" said a strong voice. It was from James. He looked concerned.

"You zoned out a bit there? Is anything wrong?" he asked. Lily gave a loving smile in return.

"No James, there's nothing wrong." She replied.

They turned their attention back to Harry. He had a bored look on his face.

"Harry what did you do yesterday? We left you to buy your robes but left you no money. Did you sleep on the streets or did you go back to Privet Drive?

Harry was smirking on the inside. "I slept at the Leaky Cauldron. An old gentleman took some pity on me and gave me some money." It was, in a twisted sort of way true. Theodore Pitt though not old, had indeed taken pity on him and when he answered the riddle he won a million galleons.

The Potters seemed aghast. "No child of mine should have to take charity. Let us buy your robes and be off to Potter manor" said James in a self-important way. Harry inwardly snorted. Yeah right. That would have been true if they hadn't cast him away. He schooled his emotions and answered back-

"It's fine. The man had given me enough money to buy my robes and- unsure how to proceed continued "A guy named Tom at the Leaky Cauldron let me stay in one of his rooms." Harry decided not to tell them of his winnings as he didn't know how they would react to it. Either way, they would find out about it soon enough.

James seemed unconvinced and a little suspicious. Harry expected that. He had after all given a very unrealistic answer. Who in their right mind gives a random eleven-year-old money out of pity? Especially in the wizarding world which had some of the stingiest people alive.

"Fine, let us go to the manor. You are grounded by the way. Disappearing of like that. Made us miss the match!"

This was enough to get Harry heated. Were people this _stupid?_ he thought incredulously. He was grounded? What for? It was their own bloody fault for apparating away like that. And all of this was assuming that he came along!

"Now why would I want that?" He asked. "I am perfectly fine staying at the Dursley's and I definitely don't want to stay with you. It was your own fault that you apparated away without giving me any money and leaving me in a place I am not familiar with."

James looked like he was going to explode but stopped when Lily caught hold of his arm. "Are you sure dear?" asked Lily. "Potter manor is a great place and I am sure you would love it there."

"Yes I am sure _mother"_ he shot back.

"Fine, have it your way then" growled James. "We'll apparate you back to privet drive."

"Um, No thanks, I've got some muggle cash. I'll take the bus" Harry hoped they would take the bluff. They did.

"Fine" With one final growl, James apparated the Potter family away.

Harry let out a sigh. It was around 5 'o' clock and he was tired. He was back at the Leaky Cauldron and was resting on his bed. He had hoped to spend some time at the Borgin library but couldn't muster up enough energy to go back to Knocturn alley.

The Confrontation with the Potters had left him emotionally exhausted. He knew he shouldn't feel like this but he was just a kid for God's sake. And they were his parents! He knew that they didn't want him, he knew that they wanted to get rid of him, but a small part of him had hoped, _hoped,_ that they would _love him._ It was just too much. It was the Potters' fault for leaving him to rot at the Dursleys. The Dursleys had never wanted him. According to them he was there one morning, at the doorstep, with a note. A note that said that the parents didn't want the child, didn't want the _freak,_ as the Dursleys told him. He was five when he heard that. He knew it in his heart. He remembered the night. But confirming it, it made him _cry_. He couldn't bare it at the time. Harry shook his head. Now was not the time for these thoughts. He got off the bed and started reading the book on magical theory that he had bought.

Time skip

" _Wingardium Leviosa!"_ Harry recited. The book he was trying to levitate slowly rose to his eye level. Harry grinned at his first success in charms. It had only been an hour since he started reading the book on magical theory and he was already making progress. He now concentrated on spinning the book clockwise and voila, the book started spinning clockwise. He grinned again. Now, according the book, the hard part for beginners was _turning_ the pages in a controlled manner while levitating it. It was hard because while one attempted to levitate the book and turn the pages, it was easy to tear them apart.

However, Harry was very optimistic. The book said that the trick was to believe in yourself. To have the confidence to perform the spell. Harry was used to this. Healing himself required a lot of concentration. Only sometimes did he fail. He failed either because the damage was too much, or because he was too tired to concentrate. Anyways, back to the task, he concentrated on opening the tenth page of the book. At a steady pace, one by one, the pages turned and slowly Harry stopped it on page ten. He released a sigh of relief. He had done it. He felt his heart pounding in his chest at the sudden excitement. Harry frowned, he never felt that way. Shrugging he continued his task. He had to make it effortless.

Fifteen minutes later Harry had mastered the levitation charm. He even found a way to style his hair using it, not that he need it. But it was the challenge it gave that was important. Any blockhead could lift a stone or a feather, but controlling the movements of the object was more important, and Harry had done it. Something many adults struggled with.

He now moved towards the repairing spell, _repairo,_ a fairly simple charm that had its limitations. Within a few tries, he'd gotten it.

By four Hours, Harry was almost done with charms, and decided he'll start transfiguration tomorrow. It was dark outside and he was tired. And thus he went to bed.

 _That very evening, dinner at Potter Manor_

"I can't believe the nerve of that kid! Who wouldn't want to stay at our manor! People would kill to stay here, especially with Rod here, the boy-who-lived!" exclaimed James.

Lily looked thoughtful. "James, if you think about it, why would he want to stay with us? I mean, we sent him away, to Petunia no less! I wouldn't blame him if he hates us. I would if I were in his place and you know you would too."

"hmph"

The rest of the dinner continued in silence. Rod wasn't there. He was upset about missing the match and decided to eat at his room. James was probably upset too.

All of this left Lily pondering what was to become of their family. James didn't seem to care. Would Harry become a part of them? _Will he eventually warm up to us?_ There was another thought that disturbed her mind. What would happen when the news got out that they had abandoned their firstborn. 'The heir of the potter line, abandoned to live with muggles'. She could already imagine the hate they would receive. Not to mention how this will affect Roderick. The boy was not used to being disliked would be the understatement of the century.

 _Next morning_

 _"_ _POTTER TWIN WINS IT ALL! HADIRAN THE MILLIONARE!" BY Rita Skeeter_

" _What!"_ James hissed _. "What is the meaning of this?"_

Lily looked equally shocked. She snatched the paper from James and read the article out loud,

 _My dear readers, you all know the Potters. Of Course you do. Everyone does. If one were asked to name them they would answer James, Lily, and the boy-who-lived Roderick Potter. However, it turns out my dear readers that there is another Potter, apparently an older twin to Roderick Potter named Hadrian Potter. After the fall of You-Know-Who, Hadrian was cast away to live with muggle relatives, mistaken for a squib, while Roderick Potter bathed in the glory of being the Boy-Who-Lived. I was not only shocked as you are right now, I was aghast! The Potter HEIR was sent away to live with MUGGLES. Quite unbelievable I know. However this is true. The Potters had indeed hoped that their firstborn would be forgotten and the shame would be removed from the family. However, much to the shock of the Potters, Hadrian received his Hogwarts letter on July 31 on the day he turned eleven. Yes, that means exactly what you think it means. Hadrian is not a squib! In fact when the wand maker Ollivander was questioned about the potter child he remarked Hadrian shows great promise! Even more than his father Auror James Potter did!_

 _And the story just gets better. Hadrian answered the Million Galleons Riddle! Yes, you read that right my friends. The Lottery sponsored by the Daily prophet and the Ministry is over! The challenge was that the participator would have to answer a difficult riddle and if they were right, they would win a million galleons. If they failed to do so they would have to pay a penalty of 20 galleons. The Riddle was given by a sphinx and was definitely a hard one as five thousand participators or so failed to answer it. Young Harrison was however, different. The Riddle was 'I have been heard a lot of times but never seen in any of those times. I will not speak back until I am spoken too'. According to Theodore Pitt, the ministry official present, Harrison answered the riddle within seconds! Have you gotten the answer yet? The answer is an echo. A simple answer that makes total sense. Harrison definitely shows a lot of promise._

 _Harrison was not available for an interview or a picture. More information on the Lottery and the Potters available on page 5 and 6 respectively._

Both Potters were fuming by now. Hadrian had _lied_ to them! He won a million galleons and decided to keep it for himself! The selfish bastard!

However they were also worried. Lily had been expecting the bad press, but not this! She had never imagined this.

" _MOM_?" a voice called out. _Gosh! Roderick was awake,_ Lily thought. She couldn't imagine how he would react to it.

"What's going on?" asked a sleepy Roderick Potter, looking at the horrified expressions on his parents' faces.

Lily gave a nervous smile. "Nothing dear, we were just thinking that we should get you a new broom!"

Rod seemed unsure for a second, only for a second though. "A new broom! You just brought me one last month! What broom are you going to get mum?" Last month his father had given him the brand new nimbus 2000, and that had definitely cost a fortune. Brooms were one of his favorite things in the world. It was also one of the only things he was truly passionate about. The acceleration, the top speed, the handling, everything mattered to him. The faster and flashier the better.

It was James who answered, going with the scheme Lily had come up with. "A functional prototype of the nimbus 2001 is ready and the real product should be out soon. We get first dibs!"

Rods face turned pink. It always did when he was happy. "Thanks Dad! Thanks Mum!"

 _Phew_

XXX

Harry got off grudgingly from his bed. He cursed when he heard his stomach rumble. He hadn't eaten dinner yesterday either! This was slowly becoming a theme. He also remembered that there is no toothpaste. Thankfully his charms book had a basic teeth cleaning spell so one didn't have to brush. He got ready and made himself look presentable before making his way down to the pub. Tom the bartender was there as he always was. He got some ham sandwiches before he made his trip to Diagon Alley. It was time to get his shoes.

 **Time Skip**

'Footwear for all needs' proclaimed the bold sign. Harry entered the shop. He smiled when the bald man looked up his desk and got off to greet him.

"Your boots are ready Harry. Would you like for me to pack them or do you want to wear them now?" he said.

"I'd like to wear them now, Dave, with no _mister_ " Harry relied cheekily. The old man smiled and went behind one of his shelves and brought back Harry's new boots and handed it to him. Harry was struck with awe. He had never expected this! The boots were amazing. The leather had a soft, textured yet stiff feel to it and Harry knew that it had gone through some treatment. It was also a very pitch black, enough to match Harry's hair. Harry couldn't make out what the outsole of the shoe was made of but it definitely felt strong and sturdy. The heel was about half an inch high and the shaft about half a foot. The pull straps were sort of inside the shaft and couldn't be seen from the outside. A little fancy silver embroidery covered the top.

"Happy with your new boots?" asked Dave, interrupting Harry from his musings. Harry nodded. He was indeed happy. He would have given the man some tip if he had some change, but he didn't. Harry could tell the man had put some work into this.

"Yes, definitely."

Harry then made his way to Gringotts, he'd decided it wouldn't hurt him if he carried a pouch with some extra cash.

 **At Gringotts**

Harry could feel that something was wrong. There was some kind of tension in the air. The Goblins looked unconcerned, but Harry could tell that they were nervous, or at the very least, disturbed. He made his way to the counter and asked the goblin "I'd like to make a withdrawal from my vault."

"Key" asked the goblin.

Harry dug his hand into his pockets. He knew he had it there somewhere. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found it. He handed it to the goblin who examined it for a second before calling out "Griphook! Vault 143!" and went back to his paperwork. Griphook came and collected the key and before leading Harry to a tunnel. Harry didn't really need the money as he was a _slip member_ as they called him, but having a few galleons on his person wouldn't hurt. He'd need some for the Borgin library anyways.

 **Time skip**

It took a few seconds for Harry to recover from the nauseating effect of the tunnel ride that he just had. That thing rode fast!

"Key please" Harry handed out the key. The goblin walked to what looked like a very large safe. The goblin put in the key and turned it, opening the vault. Harry blinked, was it really that simple? And more importantly, was his money safe? Anyone could steal his key and access his vault. That made Harry a little more cautious of the key and took it back from the goblin. This was all before Harry laid eyes on what was inside the vault. When he did, he was awestruck! A million galleons, all there in hundreds of piles. The vault was definitely bigger than his room at the Cauldron. But it was not the piles that awestruck Harry, but the sight of all that gold. _This could be billions in muggle money_ he thought. He shook his head and cleared his mind, he went off into the vault and then blushed with embarrassment when he realized he didn't have a pouch! Not bothering to ask the goblin for one, he stuffed a few galleons into his pocket before coming out of the vault. Griphook nodded his head in acknowledgement before closing up the vault. Apparently closing the vault didn't require the key. On the ride back, a thought occurred to Harry.

"Hey Griphook! That is your name right?" he asked.

The Goblin looked at him blankly before nodding.

"What happened? Don't lie to me. I can tell that the goblins are a bit unnerved" Griphook looked at him with shock before commenting, "You have a sharp eye for one so young".

Annoyed at the answer, or rather the lack of, Harry scowled throughout the entire ride. However, Griphook definitely confirmed Harry's suspicions that something had happened.

 _ **Nimbus Headquarters**_

"But I absolutely need the broom!" protested James.

"No Auror Potter, we cannot, it is still in development, how can we give something that we do not have?" The manger explained, as if explaining something to a small kid.

"How about this, you make an upgraded version of the nimbus 2000 and give it to me. I'll pay thrice the price of a normal one." James proposed, hoping that the manager would agree. He did. "Very well, Auror Potter, the broom should be ready in two weeks"

"Two weeks! Why two weeks!"

The manager put up a look of irritation and said, "Auror Potter, you are asking us to develop a new broom only for you. Be grateful that we agreed to do so" leaving no room for discussion.

James was subdued. He could only hope that Rod would understand. James wouldn't be able to bear it if his son felt disappointed. His _true_ son. Harry had just gone of the limits. Not only did he win a million galleons and kept the money to himself, he didn't even mention it when they met in Diagon Alley. Said some sob story of an old man taking pity on him. However, though James would never admit it, an inner part of him felt proud. Harry had the makings of a marauder.

 **Knockturn Alley**

 **Borgin and Burkes**

"Borgin? You there?" Harry called out.

"Yes I am, Potter, or should I say, _millionaire_ Potter?" said a voice behind him. Harry turned around to see Borgin wearing his usual black attire with a smirk on his face. It took a few seconds for Harry to realize what Borgin was talking about. "So the news is out huh?"

"Oh it is definitely out. I am surprised the Potters aren't after you yet. Bunch of block heads, greedy for money they are. After the defeat of the Dark Lord they went after every death eater they could and claimed their wealth for themselves. Only the ones who escaped Azkaban were able to save themselves" Borgin answered, distain clear in his voice.

That genuinely surprised Harry. He didn't expect the Potters to be this bad, or cruel for the matter. The Death eaters that were captured may have children, to rob them of their money and still be proclaimed as heroes…he could only imagine how much pain the children might have felt. What happened? The Potters in Harry's memory were good, or at least they were before the attack. This couldn't just be fame could it?

"Borgin, can I use your library?" Harry asked. Borgin nodded and led the way. Harry immediately went to the section that contained the basics and decided he would spend a few hours learning the Dark Arts here. He knew he couldn't perform any spells, but he could always learn theory and practice it later in his room. Thus, he began his first venture into the Dark Arts.

 **Time Skip**

The Dark Arts were… _different._ The feeling of the magic was very similar to the one he experienced while practicing charms. However, he could feel a little malice in the magic. An intent to _hurt,_ to bring _pain._ He had spent around three hours at the library before coming back to the Cauldron to practice the dark magic he just read about. Borgin thought it was absurd for one to try practical this soon but Harry shrugged it off as nothing. He had just finished with the toe burning curse when someone knocked on the door. Harry stiffened. He quickly hid the books that he brought from Borgin's shop (not the library) before answering the door. To his relief it was only housekeeping. That made him crack a smile.

The day had gone pretty smoothly for him. He had dinner for the first time at the Cauldron and it was pretty nice. He wondered though, what would Hogwarts be like? Is it as nice as they say? Harry already knew what house he wanted to be in. It was definitely g-

 **Time Skip**

Roderick Potter was eating his lunch quietly. He had just gotten his new broom and to be honest, it was quite disappointing. But not as bad as what came next. Mum and Dad had told him the reason for this untimely present, as he had already gotten his birthday present that was the nimbus 2000. Harry Potter, his squib brother, had won a _million_ galleons and had _also decidedly_ kept it for himself. A million galleons was more than what the Weasleys' could earn in their lifetime. _Honestly, how could his 'brother' be so damned selfish!_ The Potters could have put the money to good use for the generations of Potters to come.

"Lily, I've been doing a bit of thinking lately" said James.

Lily chuckled. "Since when have you ever done that, James?"

James blushed, and then looked over to Rod before turning back to Lily. "I think our boy needs some tutoring". Seeing Rod's scandalized face he quickly added, "It will be really beneficial for you Rod. You _are_ the boy-who-lived, and who knows when some death eater sympathizers will decide to attack you. Plus…" a mischievous smile plastered his face, "It'll really help you rise above your peers, and if you prove yourself, you _might_ just become the next marauder."

"James!" Lilly admonished whereas Rod grinned. "Fine Dad. I'm cool with it as long as mum agrees." Lily looked unsure and hesitant. "I guess…it _could_ be beneficial. I don't see any harm in it."

Rod grinned even wider. "Who's going to teach me Dad? Will it be Uncle Peter? I hope so. Uncle Pete has the best spells". James smiled at the boy. "Peter is most probably busy Rod, or I would have asked him. Same goes for Sirius. Remus is away in Mexico to learn more about the lycanthropy curse. I guess that leaves only one marauder left." James said with a mischievous glint. Rod's grin, if possible, got even wider. "You!"

Lily didn't seem to have much say so she let it slide, for now.

XXX

The next couple of weeks had been quite hectic for Harry. He had spent most of his day at the Borgin library learning not only the dark arts, but the 'normal' stuff as well. Borgin became this mentor figure and began to guide him through the different ways of magic. Annoyingly, that also meant he got to choose what books harry read. Ever since Borgin had found out that Harry was muggle raised, and that he had no former exposure to magic, Borgin forbade Harry from touching the advanced books, claiming that he was not ready for it.

However, Harry's hard work did pay off though. He became quite proficient in the first grade spells and had finished well over half the dark arts books Borgin had given him. When he told Borgin about that's Borgin acted all weird and told him that he really was the next Tom Riddle and hoped that Harry wouldn't follow his path. Harry had no idea what that meant.

It was only a few days ago that Harry had started the second year portion. Harry planned on finishing up the second year spells and theory as well before term started on September first, which would be in another week. So yeah. It had been quite hectic.

"The next phase, will be to learn how to apply the theory of spell creation and figuring out the spells on your own. For example, if I give you the details on how the charm works and what are its limitations, _if_ you have understood your theory well, you should be able to reverse engineer it and come up with the spell on your own. Don't be disappointed if you don't get it though. Tom took almost two years to learn it as well" said Borgin.

Harry scowled. He hated being compared to _'Tom'._ From what Harry could gather, Tom was an orphan that also appealed to Borgin and that had somehow _strayed from his path._ He was also an employee. Borgin wouldn't tell Harry much more. Said that the matter was closed.

"I'll try my best Borgin. Who knows, I might be able to do it within a year. You yourself said that I was advancing much faster than _Tom_ ever did." Harry replied haughtily. Borgin chuckled.

"Don't get ahead of yourself kid, it's what happened to Tom."

Harry scowled again. He really did hate this, but he let the matter rest.

"When will I start arithmancy? Isn't that what the theory of spell creation originates from? You need to have a proper understanding and proficiency in arithmancy to fully grasp the theory in the first place."

Borgin nodded. "Aye, which is why we are going to start arithmancy now". Without another word Harry took the book Borgin handed to him. He couldn't wait to get to the practical after all this theory.


	3. Chapter 3

_**August 31**_ _ **st**_ _ **1991 Late Afternoon**_

' _Quality Quidditch Supplies'_

The wooden shop with wooden flooring was well light when Harry entered it. Golden light basked the brooms on display as the children stared at it in awe. Judging by their looks alone one could say that they probably couldn't afford half of what the brooms were worth. Harry mentally sneered as a few of them let out high pitched screams. The sooner he could get the broom, the better. Harry wouldn't have come here in the first place if Borgin had not pressurized him to. According to him, it was the first time in six decades that first years were allowed to bring their own brooms. In the 1930's Albus Dumbledore saw it fit to introduce the rule so that muggleborns would have an easy transition into the magical world, said that they'd be left behind while the magically raised flied. Though he was not headmaster, the headmaster at the time, headmaster Dippet took his transfiguration professor's advice and made it reality.

Borgin had also told Harry which broom to buy, the ' _nimbus_ _two_ _thousand',_ which was apparently the best broom in the market. The _Firebolt_ wasexpectedtoreleasea year or so later.

Honestly, Harry didn't really care about this _nonsense._ To him, quidditch didn't make any sense. Nor did brooms, for the matter. Borgin told him that there were ways to fly without brooms using only wands. Why not use that instead? Harry couldn't imagine the pain he'd feel when he sat on one. _Wasn't his entire body weight supported by a stick at his crotch? Wouldn't that hurt?_ Borgin told Harry that he shouldn't judge a sport he hadn't played, and that he might actually enjoy it.

"Sir, do you have a Nimbus 2000 in stock?" Harry asked an approaching salesman. The man narrowed his eyes in suspicion before asking, "Can you afford it?"

"Yes"

The man warily nodded and without a word went to one of the shelves and brought a broom in a brown package. "That will be three thousand galleons. You can pay the money at the counter."

Harry's eyes nearly popped out of his head. _Three thousand galleons? For a broom? This was highway robbery!_ He didn't comment though. That would have been indecent. He quietly went to the counter and paid the bill. Surprisingly, the accountant didn't raise any questions. Nor did the salesman.

Harry had spent the past month learning all he could about wizarding culture: the blood status system, and the elite purebloods of Britain. He couldn't think of more than five families that could afford a three thousand galleon broom, and an eleven year old comes by and buys the broom and they asked no questions? That was weird. Not that he was complaining.

 _ **Borgin and Burkes Library**_

"You know it is dangerous don't you?" asked Borgin, his voice gruff.

"Yes! Yes I know!" answered Harry for umpteenth time. Borgin wouldn't stop fussing over Harry's decision to take books on the _forbidden arts_ to Hogwarts. It turned out that he could be expelled from the school if he was discovered, and should such an event arise, it would _supposedly_ have a domino effect on Harry's life. His career would be destroyed, he would lose his claim to the potter fortune etcetera.

"Borgin, I understand you are worried about me, but I'll be fine. Besides, who's going to check if a muggle-raised firstie has books on the Dark Arts in his trunk?" Harry said annoyed.

"You never know kid, I got into Hogwarts thinking the same thing. I didn't get caught though" Borgin answered, his wrinkled mouth twisting into a smile that said he knew he had countered his own statement. Harry's eyes widened. "You were muggle raised! No way!"

"Of course not you little twit. Don't be ridiculous. I was brought up in the wizarding world by me mother. No prize she was. The muggleborn that she laid with abandoned her for a bonnie bride."

"Your dad was muggleborn? You never told me!" Harry accused. Borgin and Harry had become great friends, if one could call them that. Borgin knew most of Harry's history while Harry knew next to nothing about Borgin.

"Of course I didn't. That's why I did now" Borgin said, a playful glint in his eye. "Now before you retort" Borgin continued seeing Harry's annoyed expression, "You are going to be off to Hogwarts tomorrow. You know how to take the express right?"

"Yeah" Harry nodded. "It has been a tradition for the past 200 years. I read all about it in Hogwarts, a history." Borgin nodded. "I suggest you don't flaunt your knowledge like that though. A true slytherin keeps his enemy guessing about what he does, and does not know." Borgin lectured. "Unfortunately, as much as I would like to I won't be able to come along with you. The ministry is wont to conduct their yearly raid."

Crestfallen, Harry asked, "Why do they always conduct the raids on September the first? It's the day the children go to Hogwarts."

"That's exactly why they do it laddie. The parents go along with their children and the house is left virtually unguarded. Only the rich families have nothing to fear as their homes are warded heavily."

"Well then isn't your shop/house warded? You told me it was when we were studying about magical protection from external aggression."

"It is, but the ministry doesn't really know that. And I don't want them to know that. I let the Aurors in each and every time. You see, I worked hard to build the 'shady old man but not that shady and definitely not dangerous' reputation that I have now. They all think that I'm poor and have just enough magic parry of a squib." Borgin answered. "A true slytherin keeps his friends close and his secrets closer."

Harry scowled. "Will you stop with that already? It's not even funny you know, butchering the sayings like that." Borgin grinned, revealing his yellow teeth. _Ugh._

"How do I get to the station, the books never mentioned that part."

"Oh! That! I forgot to tell you about the floo network!"

XXX

"Mum, can I please, _please_ get a broom? Every first year I know is going to be getting one and I don't want to be left behind. Rod's got one as well." Rod pleaded his mother.

"N O spells no Ron. How many times do I have to tell you that we cannot afford another broom when we _just_ brought Fred and George a broom each! And you should know better not to compare our fortune to the Potters" his mother reprimanded him.

"Why can't I take Percy's broom then? The stuck up arse doesn't even play quidditch!"

"Because Ron, Percy finished his third year with the highest grades in two decades and he asked for a broom as a present!"

"But that doesn't make any sense! Percy doesn't need a broom!"

Fed up, his mother shouted at him. "RONALD, you shall go tour room this instant before I decide to hex you in to oblivion." Gulping, Ron obliged.

His room wasn't a very grand one. Heck, it wasn't even his. It was Charlie's before he left to Romania to work at a Dragon reserve. The walls were covered in torn _Chudley Canon_ posters that his brother had left him. Sighing he sat on the only piece of furniture in the room, the bed. The desk in the room had been taken to perfect Percy's room so that he could study with comfort. He had a kick arse chair too, by Weasley standards anyway.

Ron hated being the youngest son. He got all the hand-me-downs. Ginny had it all perfect though, she was the first girl, and therefore, no hand me downs. His brother Bill was a successful curse breaker and worked at the Gringotts branch at Egypt. His father told him that Bill earned quite the fortune working his job. His brother Charlie was another successful one, securing his job at the Dragon reserve at Romania. His brother Percy was an even more ambitious one who planned to become the minister of magic. Everyone thought that he was capable of it.

The twins, despite their low grades were well known geniuses. They were brilliant at quidditch and spell crafting and had plans to open up their very own joke shop. While their parents discouraged them, Ron knew without a doubt they would succeed, they always came up with the most creative and hilarious of jokes, their competitors would be shattered. That left a lot of pressure on Ron. There was nothing he could do to prove himself to his parents. Though he hadn't started Hogwarts yet, Ron knew he would be pretty lacking at studies.

His sister Ginny didn't have it so bad. She was a girl. The only daughter in the family. Everyone dotted on her. All she'd have to do is marry some rich goof, have kids, and she'd be set for life. Molly Weasley was already talking about marrying his sister off to his best mate, the boy who lived, Roderick Potter.

 _Overall, Ron cursed his luck._

 _ **xxx**_

"Rod, are you sure you want to take that with you" asked Lily eyeing the invisibility cloak in Rods hand.

"Yeah!" answered Rod enthusiastically. "Of course I want to take it with me! Dad told me that the marauders map can't track anyone wearing the cloak. Imagine all the stuff I could do with it!

Lily sighed. She knew there no point in convincing Rod to do so otherwise. Her son always got what he wanted. She should have listened when _James_ told them they were spoiling their child. There was no going back now.

 _ **September First, Hogwarts.**_

A sour, rotten pungent smell hit Harry as he woke up from his slumber.

"What the hell!" He looked around at the room and could find nothing that seemed capable of giving off the nasty odor. He got up and traced the smell to his black trunk. The moment he touched it to investigate, he felt a warping sensation and a pull in his stomach

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" It took him a moment for him to realize he was at Borgin and Burkes. "It's a bio-portkey" the familiar raspy voice called out.

"A WHAT?"

"A bio-portkey" Borgin answered. "Transports living beings almost instantaneously."

"Wait, isn't that a normal portkey."

"No, this only transports living beings"

"Well doesn't a normal portkey do that?"

"Yes"

"Then why is it a 'bio-portkey'" asked Harry confused. Where the hell was Borgin getting at?

"Because it transports ONLY living beings. That means it DOESN'T transport non-living beings"

"I still don't get it Borgin."

"You're naked Harry! That's what it means" answered Borgin gleefully.

It took a few seconds for Harry to register what Borgin had said. He looked at himself and-"YOU SON OF A BITCH! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU! SUMMON ME SOME CLOTHES NOW!" "WHY DID YOU EVEN DO THIS TO ME?"

With a wave of his wand Borgin summoned a robe that was more of a coat for Harry to put on. "The ministry tracks all 'n-portkey' travels within Britain. All portkeys have to be licensed by the ministry and if they sense an unregistered travel, they'll see you to Azkaban. I needed you here, and I couldn't pick you up. So I made your trunk a temporary bio-portkey"

"Do all of them stink that way?" asked Harry, his anger momentarily forgotten and curiosity taking its place.

"No I needed you to touch the trunk as soon as you woke up so I placed a magical stink bomb that was tied to your awakening"

"Clever" Harry remarked, impressed. "So why did you call me here? Don't tell me it was all just a prank to see me starker's, because if that is the case then I _will_ murder you in _cold blood"_

Borgin didn't seem fazed at all. "No, no. I wouldn't do that to you. I wanted to gift you a book"

Feeling a sudden rush of excitement, Harry asked, "What book?"

Borgin's face turned grave. He gestured Harry to follow him to the library. He did. There He handed Harry a tanned leather bound book.

"What is this?" he asked, feeling an inkling of disappointment. He had expected something grand.

"Open it"

Harry did. Harry mouth dropped when he read the title.

 _SALAZAR SLYTHERIN, GREATEST OF THE HOGWARTS FOUR_

 _BY RALTHAZAR SLYTHERIN, HEIR TO THE SLYTHERIN LINE_

"Can you read it?" Borgin asked hurriedly.

"Yeah. Why? Is it parseltongue?" asked Harry.

"Yes" Borgin answered shortly. Borgin looked relieved…almost as if he expected Harry to bite the dust or something. Harry had heard of books that bit you, cursed you, killed you, or in rare cases ended the reader's bloodline if they were not happy with them. Those were pretty rare.

"You need to go Harry, its 10 'o' clock."

That brought Harry out of his musings. "Holy shit I am going to be late! Send me back!"

"You'll have to use the floo. Don't forget to take your trunk!"

"Borgin" Harry paused, "Is this good bye?" he asked quietly.

Borgin nodded. "For a while. Don't write, owls can be tracked."

It was quite sad to think he would not be seeing Borgin for a long while. He had grown accustomed to Borgin's sarcastic, raspy personality. Harry wouldn't say he was attached to Borgin though. The Dursleys had made sure Harry wouldn't become attached to anybody and that had become a part of his personality.

 _ **Leaky Cauldron**_

"PLATFORM NINE AND THREE QUARTERS!"

Harry almost gasped when he saw the fabled bright scarlet steam engine. The platform was packed. The pureblood groups mostly consisted of grim nonchalant wizards and misty eyed witches. The others, however were more than a little different. Soft cries of joy, happiness and sadness escaped their lips. A few of them were dressed in robes so loud that Harry's eyes started watering.

The potters were nowhere to be seen. Thank God for that. The last thing Harry wanted was to have another confrontation with the potters. He looked at his new gold pocket watch. The time was 10:58 am. Just in time.

XXX

"COME ON UP, WE ARE LATE!" yelled Molly Weasley.

"Come on Percy, You're first." Percy who had already started before his mother gave the signal, disappeared into the pillar.

"Fred, your next!" Molly called out waving he hand at her son.

"He's not Fred, I am!" said the second twin indignantly. "Honestly women you call yourself out mother!" added 'George'.

"Oh I am sorry George, You go in first" apologized the Molly. George walked up to the platform with a mischievous grin. "I'm only joking. I am Fred!" and ran into the pillar.

Next was George, an excited Ron, a sulky Ginny, and Molly. Arthur, the patriarch of the family was nowhere to be seen.

 _ **Back to Harry**_

Harry searched the compartments but was disappointed to find out that there wasn't a single empty one. Literally, every single one was packed! He sighed a sigh of relief as he finally saw a compartment with only three other firsties. They could have even been second years, just really short. Harry got inside the compartment and sat beside a pompous blond, with two burly boys on the other side.

"Excuse me, but who do you think you are, sitting beside me!" said the pompous blond.

"I don't know, but who do you think you are" shot back Harry, who just wanted to read a book.

"I am Draco Malfoy" declared Draco, as if that meant something to Harry. It actually did, though. It was common knowledge that the Malfoys were one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in all of Britain and were right up there with the Potters. The patriarch Lucius Malfoy was a cunning wizard who 'advised' the Minister of Magic on all matters. In other words, he controlled the ministry. The only one more powerful then Lucius was James Potter. Borgin wasn't found of either of them.

"Who?" asked Harry, pretending to be oblivious. Draco didn't take that so well and his flushed face showed it. "You're a mudblood!" he sneered. "Get out before I ask Crabbe and Goyle to escort your filthy arse out of here."

"No"

"What did you say!"

"Are you deaf? I said no!" said Harry, pronouncing each word slowly as if he was explaining something to a toddler.

To Draco, that was over the limits. Harry had crossed the line. "Crabbe! Goyle! Take him out!" he commanded. Harry sighed. Borgin had advised him against it, so as to not raise any eyebrows, but Harry had no choice. Well, actually he did, but he wanted to do it. He would show the ponce.

He brandished his wand and yelled, " _Serpentsortia_!"

A black snake shot out of his wand and landed on the cabin floor. For a moment Draco seemed like he would piss his pants, but then he laughed. "That an incomplete incantation you idiot! That snake needs to be directed. It'll probably attack you seeing that you're a mudblood!"

Harry smirked. This was the moment he had been waiting for.

 _§Attack the boy!§_ hissed Harry.

 _§Which one?§_ hissed the snake confused.

 _§The blond one§_ snarled Harry, angry at the stupid snake for ruining his effect. It would have been much cooler if the snake had just attacked Draco without delay.

 _§Can I bite him?§_ asked the snake innocently.

 _§Are you poisonous?§_

 _§No§_

 _§Then you may§ said Harry granting permission._

The snake nodded and leapt at Draco. Time seemed to slow down for Draco as he felt the blood drain from his face. The snake was coming for him.

Up until now, there had been total silence. The moment the snake landed on Draco's neck, there was chaos in the cabin. Crabbe and Goyle lost their minds and started screaming. Draco, disappointingly fainted. The snake bit Draco's arm. Harry quickly cast a silencing charm on the burly boys so that the prefects wouldn't be alarmed and come investigating. The moment the brick heads realized Harry had put a silencing charm on them, they screamed louder, or at least they tried to. To Harry they looked like fish out of water.

 _§Master can I go?§_ asked the snake distracting Harry from his thoughts.

 _§Yes you may§_ Harryreplied and quickly banished the snake.

"Now what to do about you two?" asked Harry, trying his best to sound menacing. "Oh that's right, you can't speak!" Crabbe looked subdued, while Goyle was still trying to scream. Harry guessed that that was a clue to who was the smarter one.

"Goyle, why don't you stop, and I'll remove the charm. Goyle looked like he was about to retort, but he didn't. He must have realized that there was a silencing charm on him. He slowly nodded with Crabbe joining in.

Harry removed the silencing charm, ready to put it back on wary that they might scream again.

"You're a _Parselmouth_!" accused Crabbe the moment the silencing charm was off.

"No shit Sherlock!" answered Harry.

"What?" Goyle asked, confused.

"Oh, right" said Harry, recognizing his folly. "Muggle expression, don't worry about that"

"So, you _are_ muggleborn? How is that even possible? You're a _Parselmouth_!" interjected Crabbe. Goyle nodded.

"I am a half blood" shrugged Harry nonchalantly. "Muggle raised" he added.

"But how are you a parselmouth? Are you related to the Dark Lord? Oh, and what's your name?" asked Goyle, his voice rising in pitch with every word.

"Whoa, slow down, first of all, I have no idea how I am a parselmouth and while I have theories, I am not about to reveal them to you. Second, no, I am pretty sure I am not related to the Dark Lord. Last but not least, my name is Hadrian, and you'll get to know my family name soon enough"

Crabbe and Goyle nodded in understanding. They looked at Draco. "What about him?" asked Goyle, pointing at the unconscious pureblood scion.

"Draco? He'll wake soon enough" answered Harry. He took a sniff from Draco's direction and was hit with the disgusting smell of ammonia. "Looks like your boss pissed himself. Pity, he had his Hogwarts robes on. He'll make a fool of himself when he reaches there. Do me a favor, take him and put him somewhere outside. Oh, and not outside the _train,_ outside the _cabin."_ instructed Harry. For a moment it seemed as if they wouldn't obey Harry, but after considering the situation, they nodded and obliged. They didn't come back and Harry was grateful for it. He was planning on reading about the Patronus. Borgin said that it was an easy first year charm and was overhyped by incompetent wizards who couldn't manage it.

XXX

"Where is your brother Rod? I'd like to meet him?" asked Percy in the decidedly Weasley cabin in which Rod was the only non-Weasley.

Roderick Potter scowled. "I don't know" he answered.

"But didn't you two come together?"

"No" answered Rod, starting to get annoyed. "My brother stayed elsewhere. Don't ask me about it"

Percy didn't seem satisfied, but dropped the subject.

"Rod! I won. It's our turn next!" called out Ron. Rod rushed to Ron. Percy sighed. They were having some sort of tournament where the winner of one group played against the other winner. Ron played against Fred while Rod played against George. The twins lost. They were terrible when they were apart.

 _ **Time skip-five hours. One hour to go for Hogwarts**_

"Where the bloody hell am I" yelled an angry Draco who had just woken up.

"Oh you finally woke up! People usually don't take that long" said Crabbe.

"Watch your tongue Crabbe!" Draco shot at him. Crabbe gulped.

"Now where am I?"

"The laboratory"

"I know! But why did you take me _here_ of all places?" asked Draco.

"Because you fainted when the snake attacked you!" answered Goyle. Draco's face flushed.

"Okay but why _here_?"

Goyle gulped and looked at Crabbe. Crabbe nodded in consonance. "Well…?" asked Draco looking for an answer.

"We…we brought you here because you pissed your pants and the cabin was stinking and we thought you might want to clean up. Hadrian told us to take you out and all the other places were occupied" Goyle thought that that might have been enough to incur Draco's wrath, but surprisingly Draco didn't lash out at them. Instead he did the thing Goyle least expected Draco to do. He thanked him.

"You know what, thanks. Would have been embarrassing if the others got to know. Now, what's the boy's name again? Hadrian?"

Both Crabbe and Goyle nodded.

"He is a parselmouth?"

Both of them nodded again.

"But how is that even possible? He'd have to be related to Slytherin for that! And that means he's related to the Dark Lord!" exclaimed Draco incredulously.

"Well he said he wasn't" said Goyle, somewhat unhelpfully.

"And you believed him?" asked Draco, even more incredulity creeping into his voice.

"Well…"

"Crabbe! Goyle! Everybody knows that to be a parselmouth you need to be related to Slytherin! Besides, did he tell you his family name?"

"No, he told us we would know soon enough" answered Crabbe.

"Fine, I guess we need to find a compartment now"

"Um, Draco?" said Crabbe.

"What?"

"There aren't any free compartments."

"We'll just kick some mudbloods out" said Draco as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"O…Okay" nodded Crabbe, not totally into the plan.

 _ **Time skip-The Black Lake**_

"First years this way! First years this way!" Bellowed a gruff voice. It came from the half giant named Hagrid. He was the gamekeeper at Hogwarts.

Harry actually gasped when he saw the castle. Imposing tall towers, lit with candles and torch lights, overlooking a thick forest. It was the most beautiful scene he had ever seen, not that he had seen many. The Dursleys never took him out on their holidays.

Fortunately he had no company on the self-rowing boat to the castle over the Black Lake. Together, the first years were taken to group in a hallway.

A witch in a bright emerald robe came into a hallway to address them. She had a no nonsense face and didn't look like a teacher you might want to mess with. Her eyes scanned across the group, looking at each and every single one of the students. She had a look of distaste when she looked at Rod.

"Good evening students, my name is Professor Mcgonagall, I will be your transfigurations teacher. The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in your house common room."

"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the House Cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours."

"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting"

Excited whispers filled the group as everyone talked about how they would be sorted.

"My brothers told me we'd have to fight a troll" said a freckled redhead. Harry snorted. Could one really believe that? 'Make a first year fight a freaking class II beast to sort them into their houses'.

"Nonsense!" said a bushy haired girl with terrible ugly buckteeth. "I bet there's going to be a test. I've memorized every spell in the first year syllabus".

Of course golden boy had something to say as well. "Mum told me we are sorted according to our personalities". The fact that Rod was using words with more than three syllables impressed Harry. In fact, he was actually right.

"How?" asked a blond. Roderick smirked, making his round chubby face look a little deformed.

"Its top secret. First years aren't allowed to know. Dad told me though. What I _can_ say is that who will go into which house. The boring go to Hufflepuff, the bookworms to Ravenclaw, the brave, noble and good to Gryffindor, and finally, the dark blood purists to slimy Slytherin"

A few people, including Harry didn't take that so well, but before they could retort, Professor Mcgonagall came in to take them to the great hall. Harry could feel his body shaking with excitement. This was it! This was what he had come for. The fabled sorting hat of Gryffindor would be placed on his head and he would have a place in Hogwarts!

The Great Hall was truly the greatest hall Harry had ever seen. Massive would have been an understatement. The high ceiling was enchanted to look like the night sky outside. It was beautiful. Floating night candles lit the hall, which for some reason made the hall feel cozy. Four great long tables seated with students lined the Hall, One for Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor and Ravenclaw each. The staff sat on a fifth table across the hall. The half giant Harry had seen was present there as well. The center was occupied by a white bearded old man who was undoubtedly Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster. Professor Mcgonagall led them to the stool where the hat would be placed upon their heads. Harry waited eagerly for the Hat to sing its yearly song, just as Borgin had said it would. A part of him hated Borgin for ruining all the fun spoiling everything, but he had only his own curiosity to blame. After all, he had been the one to bullied Borgin in to it.

As expected, the hat burst into a song.

 _"_ _Oh you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me._

 _For You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all._

 _There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be._

 _You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;_

 _You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,_ _  
_ _Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_ _  
_ _And unafraid of toil_ _;_

 _Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;_

 _Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means  
To achieve their ends._

 _So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!" _

Everyone in the hall applauded as the Hat finished its song.

Professor Mcgonagall cleared her throat and said, "I shall call your name one by one and place the sorting hat upon your head, who will sort you into your houses."

"Abbot, Hannah,"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The hufflepuffs cheered.

"Brown, Lavender"

"Gryffindor!"

The gryffins literally roared with cheers and applause.

"Boot, Terry"

"RAVENCLAW!"

A few more went by after her. The bucktooth for some reason was sorted into Gryffindor. Harry had thought she'd go to Ravenclaw.

"Potter, Harry!"

Harry felt his insides flipping upside down as he unsteadily walked up to the stool, his cool demeanor wavering a bit. Whispers filled the hall, some angry, some just curious. 'Isn't that the boy who lived's brother?' 'Didn't his parents abandon him for being a squib?' The last one made Harry a little angry, but he was too preoccupied to be bothered.

Harry nearly jumped when a voice in his head said, "What to do with you, eh?" Steeling his nerves, he said, "You're the sorting hat, you figure it out"

"Cheeky!" the hat commented, searching through his mind in the process. "Wait, what is this! You're a Parselmouth!"

"Yes"

"The last one didn't turn out so well"

"Well yeah, but that was him, and I am me. Do us both a favor, just sort me in slytherin"

"That's not your choice to make kid. However, slytherin _would_ be the best place for you. I can taste your cunning, your _ambition._ Your desire to be great. I have high expectations of you Potter, don't disappoint me like the last one"

"Who-"

"SLYTHERIN!"

Dead silence.

Harry gulped as he made his way to the slytherin table. All of them eyed Harry as if he were shit thrown in their faces. A Potter had never been in slytherin, he was the first. To make matters worse, the potters despised Slytherin, and put them down every chance they got. They hated them and the feeling was mutual. All of this worked against Harry, but he wouldn't falter, Slytherin was his house and he known that ever since read of the four houses. He saw the blond boy from the train gesturing him to sit beside him. Harry complied.

"TRAITOR!" yelled Roderick. Whispers of approval accompanied him. Even the Slytherins nodded. "WAIT TILL MY FATHER HEARS ABOUT THIS!"

"Silence!" said Professor Mcgonagall. "The sorting will continue"

"Potter, Roderick"

Excited whispers filled the hall again, forgetting all about Harry. Disappointingly, the moment the Hat touched Roderick's head, the Hat yelled;

"Gryffindor"

Roderick grinned and made his way to the Gryffindor table in the most pompous way possible. The Gryffindor cheers deafened everyone in the hall. Mcgonagall continued the sorting.

"So, you're the lottery twin?" asked Draco.

"Yes" Harry answered, annoyed that that was the first question he got.

"You're a Parselmouth" pressed Draco. It was a statement, not a question, but Harry answered anyway,

"Yes. How'd you figure that out? Was it when I spoke in the train?" Harry said, sarcasm evident in his voice. Draco didn't falter. "How's that possible?!" "You'd have to be related to Slytherin for that! You're a Potter!"

"I don't know!" he replied. Draco looked flabbergasted. "How could you _not_ know?"

Harry shrugged. Draco was clearly unsatisfied but left the topic.

"Sorry," he said, "I didn't introduce myself very well in the train"

Harry chuckled. "No you didn't" he agreed.

"Well I'm Draconis Malfoy, heir to the Noble and most Ancient House of Malfoy" said Draco, tone even and balanced. Harry could tell he had practiced this before, it was evident.

"I'm Hadrian Potter, heir to the stupid House of Potter" replied Harry with a serious face, trying to stick to the tone Draco introduced. Draco sniggered, losing the mask he tried to adopt. Harry joined in.

"Oi Malfoy!" A voice called out. "Why are you talking to that blood traitor?" It was from a girl a few seats away.

"It's none of your business Bulstrode!" snapped Draco.

"Be careful, how you talk to me Malfoy! I'm three years you senior and know a lot more curses than you can count" she threatened. Harry listened in interestedly.

"I doubt that. Besides a single letter to my father and your family will be destroyed. You don't want that do you?" Bulstrode's face flushed and was about to retort when an older boy interrupted, "Quiet! The both of you! Slytherins don't quarrel in public Bulstrode, it's a basic principle of this house."

Bulstrode sneered, "Like I care Flint." But she didn't say anything anymore, but settled with giving the first years a nasty look that said, "I'll take care of you when everybody's out of sight". It was Harry's turn to sneer. He had met bullies that did this on ritual to new students. It was an impulsive orthodox way of theirs to show who was in power. Harry believed only those who were insecure really did that.

"At last, the sorting is done!" a voice interrupted.

It was the aged Dumbledore, his bright blue eyes twinkling beneath half-moon spectacles. "I must say, quite a lot of students this year, it is always a pleasure to see new innocent faces eager to learn" he continued. The students looked at him expectantly. "But most important of all," he said, "Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak!"

The empty plates and goblets filled up with food in an instant as the headmaster said those words. Harry looked at the feast in wonder, never having seen so much food in one place, nor having seen food that looked equally delicious.

"Is he mad" he commented, thinking about Dumbledore's choice of words.

"Definitely" a voice answered as Harry dug into the food to fill his hungry stomach. The rest of the feast went quite uneventfully as students and teachers alike were hungry after the long sorting. At the end of the feast, the headmaster clapped his hands and the food and vessels vanished away.

"Before we bed, I would like to say a few words" he said. "The caretaker, Argus Filch has asked me to remind you to not cast spells in the corridor"

"The Forbidden Forest, as the name implies, is forbidden. A few of the older ones might take care to remember that," he said, looking intently at a pair of grinning twins.

"The third floor corridor is forbidden to those who do not wish a painful and untimely death" That caused quite an uproar. Even Harry was taken aback by this. _What could it be to cause such a death?_ Professor McGonagall cleared her throat with a wand amplifying the sound before gesturing Dumbledore to continue. Dumbledore nodded in appreciation.

"And most importantly, I'd like to introduce our new Defense against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Quirell!" There was a round of applause as a man in a purple turban stood up and bowed.

"Off to bed now!" declared Dumbledore and the students lined up to leave the hall to the dormitories. A prefect named Gemma Farley led them to their dormitories in the dungeon. She led the first years and stopped before a painting of a snake. "This is the entrance to our common room. A password will have to be given to gain permission. The password expires within a week and its replacement will be on the pin board in the common room" she said in a loud and clear voice, eyeing each and every one of them to make sure they all understood. "Sanguis imperium" she said in a clear voice, and the painting opened in acceptance, revealing a low entrance behind it. Harry frowned at the strange password. He knew imperium meant power but had no idea about sanguis.

The common room was dark and made of stone. In fact, the entire common room seemed to be carved into a single piece of stone. A feat of magic no doubt. A clear wall of glass looked into the underwater of the black lake. The floor was covered with warm emerald rugs. Black leather couches and chess tables and studies furnished the common room, and the fireplace the only source of light. No wonder it was dark. The walls were adorned with tapestries and paintings. Harry wasn't surprised to see most of them had a snake in it, nor about the fact that they were mostly green and silver, with a little blue, bronze and white here and there.

The upper years who had reached the common room first looked curiously at them, most of their eyes on Harry. A prefect named Cassius Warrington addressed them,

"Welcome to slytherin house" he said. "We are a house of the cunning and sly, but most misunderstand our nature and may target you, and that is why since the past decade the first and foremost rule of Slytherin has been unity. We show a united front wherever we are, may it be the classroom, the great hall, or the corridors. We do not argue, fight now show any form of indecency, Bulstrode, that includes you" he said. Bulstrude sneered, but Cassius didn't seem to notice. He continued, "Should you have a problem with a housemate, you sort out your differences in the common room, or take it to Professor Snape, our head of house. This applies for other students as well, Professor Snape _will help you._ If you plan on going against students of other houses, then _do, not, get caught!_ You _will_ face the consequences from _us."_ He said sternly.

"Your grades will be monitored by your assigned prefects as well, slytherins _do not fail."_ said Gemma, Cassius nodded in approval.

"Slytherins, unlike the other houses have their own private rooms. Expansion charms and the like will be seen as a sign of skill and caliber and is encouraged." Said Cassius, gesturing them to follow them to their rooms. Harry couldn't help but break out a smile. Borgin hadn't told him this and Harry was worried he might have to share a room with some thickhead.

"There is no separation of sides based on gender, only years. The common room is shaped like a seven pointed star, with a corridor for every year. Yours will be the one ahead. Your rooms will have your name plaque on the door and your trunk will be there as well. Off to bed. Professor Snape will formally welcome you in the morning at 7 am" said Cassius. The first years nodded and made their way to the rooms. Cassius was about to leave when he warned, "Do not be late, professor Snape will not appreciate it." He looked specifically at Harry but Harry just nodded indifferently. He made his way to the room that had the name Hadrian Potter on a silver plaque. The room was decidedly bare, with only a bed. Harry wasn't disappointed. After all, he had lived in a shoe cupboard his entire life. He couldn't think much more and the heavily meal left him sleepy and sluggish. He fell asleep in his robes the moment his head hit the pillow.

AN- There it is- chapter 7, the longest chapter yet, updated at last. Originally the chap was two parts but I realized that part two would be too short, so I stitched it into part one opting for a whole and complete chapter. This seemed like a good place to stop.

Also, I do appreciate the readers who take the extra time to review. Criticism is welcome as well. If there are spelling or grammatical errors do point them out. My unobservant eye can't seem to spot them.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry couldn't almost bring himself to wake as he lousily got up from his bed. He looked around and it took a moment before he remembered where he was. The room was with no windows and lit only by a lantern in the corner. Harry frowned, while the bed was comfortable and all, the room could certainly use some improvements. He remembered Cassius saying that 'expansion' charms and the like would be a sign of skill and caliber and was encouraged. He frowned at the implicate meaning there. Expansion charms were taught in the seventh year and it was one of the charms that border lined with the field of enchanting. So in truth, most students would live in a suffocatingly small room for the better part of a decade. Harry decided he'd have to learn the charm sooner than that. While to most people it was a difficult charm to perform and maintain, Harry figured he'd be able to get the hang of it.

He shook his grogginess away before stretching to relax his sore muscles. He cast a _lumos_ and looked down and saw that in his exhaustion the previous night he had slept in his school robes. _No matter_ he thought. He quickly made his way to the shower to clean himself up. Thankfully no one was up, it was still quite early. Dressing himself in a fresh new robe he made his way to the common room. Surprisingly, it was empty, no one was up. He frowned and looked at his pocket watch, it was 5:45 am. No wonder no one was up. It was quite an opportunity for Harry to finish up the fourth year syllabus book on transfiguration, and while Harry was certain he already knew most of the stuff, it didn't hurt to read up on what was taught in the school.

 ** _6:45 am_**

By now everyone was up and had groused on their way to the common room. Draco, who was one of the first out of the dorms, was shocked to find Harry dressed and reading a book.

"How long have you been up?" he asked, incredulity clear in his voice.

"A little over an hour now" answered Harry easily. "I don't sleep much" he explained. Draco nodded unsure and made his way to the couch beside Harry.

"A little disappointing isn't it?" asked Draco

"What?" asked Harry looking up from his book.

"The rooms I mean" said Draco, "a bit too dark, and _small._ "

"Oh" Harry realised. "Yes, yes indeed" he nodded. Harry wasn't exactly disappointed, but he could see why someone like Draco would find it so. He was probably used to large well decorated rooms being the heir to the Malfoy family. Harry went back to reading without a word. Draco, who needed a conversation to keep him occupied frowned and looked at the book Harry was reading.

"Is that a fourth year book!" asked Draco, the previous incredulity returning. Harry nodded in irritation.

"But you're a _first year,_ and _muggle raised_ to the boot!" said Draco disbelievingly. Annoyed Harry glanced up at the boy. _Couldn't_ _he_ _shut_ _up?_

"Look, just because most people are mediocre such as yourself, it doesn't mean that other people have to follow suit. Now shut up Professor Snape is here"

Malfoy looked like he was about to retort but hesitated as he saw Professor Snape enter the common room.

"First years, gather around" he said in clipped tones, his voice deceptively smooth. There was a loud scramble and the first years gathered around their head of house, all of them with slight fear in their eyes, except for Malfoy, who had gone back to his previous smug I-own-you face; and of course, Harry. He had been used to this sort of intimidation based demeanour and remained unfazed.

Professor Snape's eyes scanned across the room as he inspected each and every of the new additions to his house. The seniors observed with interest. Harry felt a little uncomfortable as he felt the scrutiny of the bead eyed professors gaze upon him but still tried to maintain the expression of nonchalance.

"I have no doubt that our prefect Cassius Warrington has already given the introductory speech-" the older boy nodded, and Snape continued, "and I have nothing but a few words to add to it. First off, this is the House of Unity, Cunning, Ambition and Perseverance! A show of disunity in public shall result in punishment. A show of _lack_ of motivation will _not be tolerated._ A show of _incompetence_ shall _not be tolerated_ and will have to be taken care of. This noble house has produced many great witches and wizards and I will _not_ allow it to be tarnished by the likes of you" his gaze fell on Harry again. Harry looked at the Professor right in the eye as the rest of the house shifted their eyes towards him.

Snape returned to his audience once again. "Be prepared in advance for all your classes. Your prefects shall escort you to the great hall" There was a collective sigh of relief as the Professor left the common room.

"Quite the reputation keeper isn't he?" said a black haired boy walking up to Harry.

"What?" Harry asked, confused.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you didn't notice Potter. The Professor kept on insisting on using the words a 'show of…' This house has always wanted to upkeep a reputation, doesn't matter if you _actually are_ disunited, unmotivated, incompetent etc. It's one of the things that brought about its downfall in the first place. After the Dark Lord, everything we built around ourselves was left in tatters and Professor Snape is desperate to rebuild it" he said.

Harry frowned as he considered the boys words. He was right. All he had read about Slytherin was its reputation. Strong, resilient, cunning etc. were the words once used to describe the house. Borgin had told Harry that the Sorting Hat barely considered the qualities to put the students now and just put all those who had 'dark ideals' in Slytherin. In short, it had become a dark mirror to Hufflepuff.

"Hadrian", Harry introduced himself, offering his hand. The boy accepted the hand with a grin, "Blaise Zabini," he said. Harry smiled back. He had feeling they were going to be good friends. The first years lined up behind the prefects as they made their way to the great hall.

XXX

"The dorms are DISGUSTING!" yelled a very dissatisfied Roderick Potter at Professor McGonagall. His housemates looked at them in alarm. McGonagall's lips pursed in silent anger. "I assure you Mr Potter, the dorms are fine!"

"But it's only a four poster bed!" the chubby boy whined,

"What more do you need than that?" asked the Professor, her voice rising as well.

"I'm the boy who lived" said Roderick in full confidence.

"Detention Mr Potter! Tonight at 8pm, my office!"

A few boys snickered at Roderick's gobsmacked expression as McGonagall left the common room.

"But that's not _fair!"_ Roderick whined to his best Friend. Ron looked a little nervous and said, "Well… It's better than what I ever had mate". Roderick scowled and grunted as he joined the line going for the great hall. His father was going to hear about this. McGonagall was going to _pay._

"What's our first class? Defence?" he asked finally once they sat for breakfast, hoping to ignite conversation.

"Transfiguration" a bushy haired girls replied. "Transfiguration with the Slytherins"

Roderick scowled again. This had to be the worst morning ever. "I'm not going" he declared. Ron and the bushy haired girls both chocked on their food and sputtered when they heard that.

"Are you mad!" exclaimed the girl.

"Blimey she's right mate. You'll never hear the end from McGonagall if you bunk her class. You already got detention for tonight, she might make it for the next _week!"_

Roderick's scowl deepened to the point that his face looked completely disfigured.

"I don't care" he said. "I'm writing about this to my father today. I was going to write to him anyways about that traitors sorting. He'll take care of this mess. I don't even understand how they have the guts to give _me_ detention. And _You,_ Granger was it? I don't need _your_ _consent_ to make decisions for myself" he added.

The girl looked hurt but nodded and looked away. Finishing up his breakfast he asked Ron to join him in his endeavour to bunk the Transfigurations class. Ron shrugged and agreed. He figured that the consequences for their actions would be far less dire as the boy-who-lived was involved. How _wrong_ he was…

 ** _Transfiguration_**

"Where are Mr Potter and Mr Weasley?" she asked silently. The class held their breath as McGonagall asked the question once more. Hadrian snorted internally as he thought about his brother. _Probably went right back to bed,_ he thought.

"I shall ask one more time" she said slowly, "Where, are Mr Potter and Mr Weasley?"

All eyes shifted to the slow hesitated hand rising in the air.

"Yes, Miss Granger"

"Um… Professor" she looking really nervous and avoiding eye contact preferring to look at the stone floor instead, and said, "I heard Roderick tell that… he might not… might not show up to class"

There was a collective gasp and McGonagall's lips pursed further and her face turned stormy. Hadrian smirked and whispered to Blaise, _"If they pursed any further, I think they might disappear completely"._ Blaise snorted at that.

"And Mr Weasley?" the angry Professor prompted internally sighing.

"I think Ron might have joined him" said Granger.

"And do you know where they are?"

The girl shook her head. McGonagall nodded and turned her attention back to the class after saying, "He will be taken care off, now let us continue without wasting any further time"

"Transfiguration is the form of magic used to _transfigure,_ which is to change form. You shall learn its theory in depth in your later years but for now, you shall need only the bare basics"

Hadrian sighed in disappointment. He had gone through the first year books and they were child's play. The syllabus was purposed more to getting accustomed to learning magic than actually learning it. Dumbledore was responsible for that.

"To transfigure an object, you must know what it is that you are trying to transfigure. The material, its density, its weight, its volume, and magical resistance. Without this basic understanding you will no doubt fail at your attempt. Next, you need to know _what_ you're trying to transfigure an object _into._ Material density and weight are all closely related on this regard. For example turning a wooden match stick into a needle is relatively easy as they are similar on almost all aspects, despite the fact that one is wood and the other is metal. Transfiguring air, or conjuration as it is called, to a solid or liquid object is much harder as they are not similar in any aspect. The muggle law of no material creation nor destruction can take place does not apply in magic. New theories have come up stating that one can transfigure nothingness, although you will be learning it only for your masters should you choose to do so. Magic is only limited by imagination. This brings us to the third and last point. Visualisation is _key,_ when it comes to transfiguration. It is the basis of this branch of magic. One can turn water into wine without incantations and wand movements should he have sufficient visualisation"

Harry listened carefully. None of theory books he had read mentioned any of the points McGonagall had said. He frowned at that. The rest of the class was listening intently as well. McGonagall looked satisfied.

"Now let us begin with our first project, turning matches into needles. They are in front of you. The incantation is _lebero_ and the wand movement swish and flick _"_

The class seemed mildly surprised and excited at being asked to perform magic so fast. Harry sighed and quickly turned his match into a needle. Deciding to go overboard, he added a little decoration. In another few seconds his silver needle had an emerald snake twirling around it. He smirked as he saw the other students struggling with their match. He glanced at Blaise who had successfully transfigured his match as well. Blaise scowled when he saw Harry's needle and went back to his own and tried in vain to imitate the emerald snake.

McGonagall who had been passing by inspecting each student stood in surprise when she saw Harry's needle.

"Astonishing!" she exclaimed. "First try?" she asked. Harry nodded confidently.

"Ten points to Slytherin for such remarkable transfiguration. Another Five points for it being the first try. I daresay you are going to have a knack for this subject Mr Potter" she smiled.

The Gryffindors around him scowled, especially the bushy haired girl called Granger, while the Slytherins looked pleased with their housemate.

When McGonagall saw Blaise's needle she awarded another five points as well.

Harry and Blaise went for lunch next. The boy who lived was still nowhere to be found and Harry idly wondered how someone like Roderick can go unseen for so long. Blaise made idle conversation with him until their next class, Charms.

 ** _Charms_**

"The incantation is wingardium leviosa. Now why don't you give it a go?" squeaked the definitely half goblin professor.

 _"_ _Wingaarrdium Levioosaa…"_ the class chanted. Nothing happened. Harry sighed in disappointment again. How could people be _this_ mediocre? he thought. He swished and flicked his wand and raised the feather into the air controlling it with his wand movements, making the feather do a slight dance in the air.

"Look! Mr Potter's done it! First try as well! Such remarkable control! Twenty Points to Slytherin! It was the Ravenclaw's turn to scowl this time. A blond girl especially didn't look happy. Even a few Slytherins were glowering at him now. He shrugged, as if to say-' _It's not my fault that I'm so smart and you're so dumb'_

"Did you practice all of this beforehand?" asked Blaise as they left for herbology.

"Yeah. I'm done with the syllabus for a few years as well. Not really challenging though. The standards been falling for the past decade" Harry answered.

"That explains your seeming prodigy" Blaise nodded. "My mum thinks so too. She wanted me to study at Durmstrang but my stepdad convinced her out of it"

"Durmstrang? Stepdad?" Harry probed inquisitively.

"Durmstrang is one of the other two magical institutions in Europe. No 'outsiders' know where it really is although it's said that it's somewhere near Bulgaria. The other one is Beauxbatons in France"

"So there are other schools of magic!" Harry said incredulously. Blaise snorted, "Of Course there are! Did you really think that Hogwarts was the only school in Europe?" Harry blushed embarrassed. "You have a stepdad?"

"Yeah. Six" Blaise replied casually.

"Six!" Harry exclaimed.

"A story for another time" Blaise said saintly.

XXX

Herblology went on a similar note like Charms. Like Flitwick Professor Pomona Sprout didn't really appreciate the boy who lived skipping her class as if he were on holiday. He earned as much as thirty points in that class. Five years of gardening definitely had something to do with that. Soon it was evening with a free period and before he knew it, it was time for supper.

 **Supper**

Apparently, Roderick thought that Supper was the time he couldn't miss. He marched pompously towards the Gryffindor table with Ron wobbling by his side. He scowled when he saw the amount of cross looks he was given by his own housemates.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley" McGonagall called out quietly. The great hall turned silent as Roderick looked up at the stern mistress with uncaring eyes.

"Sixty Points from Gryffindor!" she said. There was an outrage at the Gryffindor table as the announcement was heard. Roderick didn't seem to care.

"That's not fair!" a group of twins shouted.

McGonagall seemed unfazed and continued.

"Detention with Professor Snape for a month as well!"

Harry smirked at the gobsmacked look on Roderick's face.

"You can't do that!" he said horrified. "I don't want to spend my time with nasty filthy stinky greasy Snivellus!" he wrinkled his nose.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for such blatant disrespect! Another twenty for refusing to comply with a teacher and another twenty for missing tonight's detention!" McGonagall thundered her face turning red. Everyone looked shocked at that. McGonagall never shouted. Snape smirked. Harry could tell his brother won't be enjoying his time with their potions Professor very much.

Meanwhile the Gryffindors didn't look as happy. Their looks turned hostile as they processed the fact that the boy who lived had cost them a hundred and twenty points in a single day. The first day of classes as well.

"How could you?" shrieked Granger. Roderick didn't answer. He was surprised when he saw his own house turning against him. This isn't right, he thought, this isn't how it's meant to be! I'm the boy who lived! Dad said that I was meant to be their leader! They're supposed to adore me! I don't deserve detention! I don't deserve this sort of slander! I'm the boy-who-lived!

"YOU" Roderick screamed pointing his finger at Harry. Harry raised an eyebrow. "Me?" he asked.

"YES YOU! YOU are the fault for all of this" The students gasped at that.

"I'm sorry what?" Harry asked blankly.

"YOU did this!" Roderick accused.

"I'm really sorry, but I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about"

"I sent Dad a letter you know. Watch out for the howler tomorrow you little squibling" There was a collective gasp at that. To call a wizard a squib was the ultimate insult.

"It is my understanding that squibs can't perform magic Roderick" a voice spoke out. Surprisingly it was Professor Dumbledore; he had spoken out at last.

"I am very disappointed in you my boy, I hope you will reconsider you words and apologize" The headmaster said sadly, standing up.

"Apo…apologize?"

Dumbledore nodded.

Roderick glanced over at his twin before scowling and storming off to his dormitories, leaving his supper half eaten.

Dumbledore sighed disappointedly as Roderick left while the students were left to process what had just happened.

"That boy is an immature imbecile! He should have been suspended for such insult. He has been spoiled by his fame Albus" said Minevra quietly to Albus.

"Alas, he is our only hope" was the only reply she got.

"What's a howler?" Harry asked Blaise. Blaise looked at him disbelievingly and answered,

"It's sort of an angry letter, only that it speaks, or more like shouts. The more magic you put into it the louder it gets. Or you could just speak loudly while recording it"

Harry paused as he digested that information.

"Can it be used for normal letter?"

"What do you mean?"

"Can it be used to send normal messages? Like a letter that can speak instead of having to be read?"

"Oh, I never thought about that. I suppose you could do that. There isn't anything that shouldn't let you do that" answered Blaise picking up some pastries.

"I'd be more worried if I were you mate"

"Why?" Harry asked.

"When I say a howler is loud, I meant it. Nothing below a fourth year spell can mute it"

"Will an incendio work?" asked Harry. Blaise shook his head. "Unless it's way more overpowered than usual, it won't. The letters usually contain fireproof charms"

"Silencio?" Blaise shook his head again.

"I guess I'll just have to figure out something on my own then" Harry mused.

"What will you do then?" asked Blaise curiously.

"I guess you'll just have to wait and see"

Blaise shrugged and quickly finished up his cake before it vanished. After the plates disappeared Dumbledore gave the signal to go to bed.

XXX

The next morning silent anxious whispers floated around. None of them had forgotten the spectacle that was yesterday evening. If Roderick was to be believed then his father would be sending a howler to the slytherin twin. The smugness on Roderick's face as he made to the table seemed to solidify the fact. Concerned glances were thrown at Harry as a red envelop made its way through a majestic brown owl.

"Go on, open it" nudged Blaise. Draco sitting nearby nodded as well. "It only gets louder the longer it has to wait."

Harry reluctantly opened the letter. If his plan failed he could only hope that one of the older years would come to rescue. Cassius maybe?

"HADRIAN POTTER

HOW DARE YOU CONSORT TO-"

"Aries non erit!" Harry intoned as his wand tip glowed a light blue and suddenly the howler became quiet and then seemed to shred itself and explode in a loud bang, but the explosion seemed contained though. The shredded paper seemed to stop a spherical shape and dropped down at the table.

The few that had been watching keenly looked in shock while the ones who hadn't bothered to pay attention cried out startled. Harry looked over at Roderick who had a gobsmacked expression on his face. Harry allowed himself a slight smirk.

"A vacuum spell, Mr. Potter" noted Professor McGonagall. Harry glanced over at the staff table and noticed that everyone had their eyes on him. Harry nodded as his eyes made way to the transfiguration mistress quietly noting the look of relish on Professor Quirell's face.

"Most impressive. Most ingenious as well! Twenty points, I think" as her lips quirked upward into a smile. Harry smiled charmingly in return.

"Yes! Yes indeed!" squeaked an eager Flitwick. "That spell borders on Charms as well. Add another five points to that!" Harry nodded graciously. Professor Dumbledore looked at him quietly. Harry saw into his eyes. Was that…recognition? he thought confused.

Meanwhile the Slytherins were looking at him with new found admiration. Well most of the younger ones anyways. The others just looked at him with grudging respect.

"What was that!" exclaimed a boy beside Blaise. Blaise and Draco nodded as well, prompting an answer from Harry.

"It was a vacuum spell. It means that I enclosed the letter in a vacuum. The letter, which is made up of matter quickly rushed in to fill the void" said Harry.

A few of them looked unsure.

"Theodore Nott by the way"

Nott? His father served the Dark lord. Just like Malfoy. Oiled his way out of his chains according to Borgin.

"Hadrian, but call me Harry"

"Call me Theo" said the boy.

As they made their way to Herbology, Cassius cornered him.

"Quite the spell there Potter"

"Thanks"

"Good thing no one heard your incantation"

Harry turned stiff.

"You shall use such spells with caution Potter. If word gets out that the original use for that spell is to destroy a person from within by emptying his lungs…well I guess your future wouldn't be that bright"

Harry nodded stiffly. Cassius released him. "Off you go, Potter"

XXX

Roderick scowled as he made his way to the second class of the day. Potions, with the Slytherins.

"I hate Potions" he said. Ron nodded meekly. Ron was his best friend. He and Ron would agree on all matters; but ever since he landed Ron in detention, Ron's mother wasn't too pleased. Ron himself was indignant at that but never spoke out. He did, however quieten down his support.

"Potter…our new celebrity" drawled Snape. Roderick nodded back in Pride. Disgusted, Snape continued the name roll. So even Snivellus agreed that he was important. How couldn't his own head of House.

"Potter!" Snape barked suddenly, causing everyone to jump. "Celebrity Potter" he clarified as he saw the confusion on Harry's face. Roderick grinned in response, oblivious to the fact that he was being mocked.

"What would I get if I added the powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Roderick scowled. "I don't know"

Snape sneered. "Pity" "Where would you look if I asked you to find a bezoar?" he asked again.

"A what?"

Snape's sneer got even more…sneering? "What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Roderick grimaced but then his face twisted into a scowl.

"I don't know! How am I supposed to know!" he shouted.

"Ten points from Gryffindor for your cheek and another ten for not being prepared for class" Snape said gleefully. Harry could almost picture the man rubbing his hands together. Roderick didn't seem to pleased with that.

"Potter!" Snape barked again. "Slytherin Potter!"

"Yes Sir," Harry straightened up.

"Could you care to answer the asked questions?"

"Yes Sir"

"Well? Could you care to enlighten us" Snape sneered. Seriously, Harry wondered is that what the man looked like when he slept? He internally sniggered at that.

"A mixture of powdered root of an asphodel and wormwood would give you a sleeping potion but with the right ratio and adding a few enhancing ingredients it would give the most powerful trance inducing potion known to wizard kind, the Draught of Living Death."

Snape looked taken aback but motioned him to continue.

"The bezoar can be found at the local apothecary, or your personal storage room" he smirked, "but it's place of origin will always be inside the stomach of a goat"

"Monkshood and wolfsbane are two names for the same plant also known as aconite. The term used depends on the context, when its related to subduing or making the wolfsbane potion it is referred to as wolfsbane etc. and monkshood is used while aconite is used as a healing agent" he finished.

Snape looked at him with searching eyes. "Ten points…to Slytherin. That was quite impressive Mr. Potter. May I ask where you might have learnt this?"

Harry nodded. "I read about the bezoar and aconite in the fourth year potions book. I read about the Draught of Living Death in-" he hesitated, "Potions of Remarkable Power by Balerion Darth"

Snape remained unfazed but Harry could tell the man recognized the book. It wasn't dark or anything, just that a few potions were of questionable nature.

The rest of the class continued with them making a boils cure. Roderick cost them another twenty points. Harry had a feeling that he was going to be quite resented by his housemates.

"How on earth did you know that?" Blaise had asked in a hushed whisper. Harry shrugged. "I just told you, I read it". Blaise let out a low whistle shaking his head.

XXX

Roderick scowled as he made his way to his first detention with Snape, with a scurrying Ron behind him. Classes were not going on as he imagined. Everyone seemed to stay away from him. At least Ron still supported him. Every time he lost some points he would be looked at with resentment and hostility. He didn't get it. It was just points. Dad had told him to loose as many as he could. That reminded him. The stupid squibbling had shown up to him! He had no doubt Snivellus had already told him the answers before hand. There was no way he had known that. Fourth year indeed he snorted. And the Howler! How dare he! He sent another letter to his Dad again, asking him to come personally this time.

"Your Father has no power at Hogwarts" the bucktoothed girl had told him. Like she knew.

Well at least they had their first flying lesson tomorrow. He would show the squib. After all, he was the boy-who-lived, the chosen one. The boy of the prophesy.

 **AN**

 **There you go. Not as polished as I would have liked but hey, what can you expect from a busybody like me. Do review, your opinions do matter. Criticism is appreciated. Flames and pointless things are not though.**

 **Oh, and do point out the spellings and grammatical errors that I may have missed.**

 **May the force be with you.**


	5. Chapter 5

The first flying class stirred some excitement in the first years. Everyone was looking forward to it, everyone except Granger that it. Harry made his way to the quidditch grounds with Blaise and Theo by his side; all of them carrying a broom in hand. He was followed by Draco and his cronies. The quidditch ground was… _large_ to say the least. Harry thought it had to be thrice the size of a normal soccer field at least.

Madam Hooch stood there, waiting for them. She stood silently as the Gryffindors and Slytherins assembled in a line each.

"Good afternoon class!"

"Good afternoon Madam Hooch!"

"Welcome to your first flying lesson. You shall join up in pairs so that I can teach each of you individually, but before we do that let us learn the basic lesson that all flyers must learn before they ride their broom" she said.

No one said anything as they waited in baited anticipation, eager to see what they had to learn.

"All of you get to the side of the broomstick you are most comfortable with. What I mean by that, is if you are right-handed get to the left side and vice versa. Now, extend you dominant hand over the broom and say up. On the count of three now, UP!"

"UP!"

Harry's broom immediately leapt to his hand. So did Blaise's and Draco's, and to Harry's annoyance Roderick as well.

"Keep trying till you get it!" shouted Madam Hooch.

Harry watched as the children desperately cried to their broom hoping for it to come up. At the end, while everyone had got it, Granger had to lift her broom physically to save herself from further humiliation.

"Now, Pair up! A Slytherin and a Gryffindor please!"

Several Groans were heard as the condition was laid out. Everyone partnered up with the person opposite them. Harry stared at the person before him in disgust, it was his brother.

"Revenge sweet brother!" growled Roderick wickedly.

Unfortunately, they were first in line.

"Alright! Brother with Brother I see! Let us begin now. Mount your brooms. Yes that way, Roderick you are doing perfectly!"

Harry followed Madam Hooch's instructions and slowly mounted his broom. He remained calm, despite the fact that this was his first time on a broom.

"Now on the count of three push yourself above the ground. Do not use your hands or you will go far above than what you intended. Now, gently, One, Two, and Three!"

Harry gasped as he felt himself rise above the ground. He was off his feet. The feeling was nothing like he expected. No pain in the groin, no feeling of being unbalanced, no nausea, nothing. He was only a few feet off the ground, Roderick grinned evilly at him beside him.

"Perfect! Now Let us-"

"Help! Help" screamed a voice. Harry turned around in panic as he saw the Longbottom boy spiraling into the sky at a dangerous speed. Madam immediately rushed over to him, zipping through the air like a fish in water. The boy had accidently flown off into the sky and lost control of his broom.

"Stay still Longbottom! Hold the broom in place" she shouted.

"Well, I guess it's just us now, _brother"_ said Roderick. "I'm surprised you can fly, being half squib and all"

Harry simply sneered in response. They were no such thing as a 'half squib'. It was ridiculous how his brother showed his ignorance with every breath he took.

"ROD! The squibs ball!" a voice below shouted.

"Give it here!" Rod shouted back. Harry stared with wonder as he saw an actual Remembrall being thrown up in the air to Rod. The thing was priceless! The things had complex enchantments on them to help the owner with his memory. It had various uses, including in the instruction of occlumency, storing memories and mind healing. It had to mean something to Longbottom. He would want it back.

"Give it here Malfoy!" he shouted over the wind. Roderick smirked in return.

"Come get it then you squib!" He shouted back and sped off into the air gaining height.

Harry did exactly that. He followed Roderick.

"It's not yours to keep! It's Longbottom's. The Remembrall is worth more than you know!"

"Is that so! It'll be a shame if it slipped off my hand then!" he snickered. Harry watched in horror as Roderick threw the ball into the air with all his might. He did not waste time in thinking as he tried to fly as fast as he could to the ball. A gasp escaped him as he felt the air drumming against his ears, he felt like a bullet. His heart thumped loudly in his chest and goosebumps erupted along his arms, but all of that was a blur to Harry. He leaned over, his nose almost touching the broom. The ball was just a few feet away. Time seemed to slow down for Harry as he somersaulted in the air on his broom before leaping of his broom as he caught the ball in the air before he landed right back on his broom, pulling buck just in time avoiding a crash in to the tower window just two foot away.

He realized with jolt what he had done. What was he thinking! He could have died! The rational part of him died out as he remembered the pure ecstasy he felt while flying in the air. He couldn't help but grin as he remembered the wind blowing against his face, the landscape a blur, only the ball in sight. It was freedom that he felt. Freedom he had never felt in his life. He gracefully landed on the ground, for the first time noticing the slack jawed looks he was getting.

"That was bloody incredibly Harry! That was honestly the best flying I have ever seen. You're a natural" said Blaise excitedly, "Even snobby Draco was impressed!" Harry grinned in return

"Mr. Potter! What where you thinking?" shouted Madam Hooch as she landed beside him. "You could have met Death today! Fifty points for such irresponsible behavior!"

"Mr. Potter!" a voice barked. Harry gulped. He would recognize that voice anywhere.

"Yes Professor Snape" Hary replied immediately.

"Come with me"

"Severus you know I can't do that"

"You lifted the restriction on the first years. Surely Hadrian can join the house team!"

"Yes Severus but that had a purpose and you know it" answered Dumbledore tiredly.

"Yes" Severus sneered, "To let your precious Golden Boy to play for his house. You changed a rule for him. I don't know if you know this, but the new rule applies to all! Hadrian is an excellent flyer! You should have seen him Dumbledore, the boy has extraordinary talent in him. I am only speculating but the was probably Potter's first time!"

"Very well" said Dumbledore. He could still resist but Severus would still have his way.

"May I ask you something, Severus?" said Dumbledore. Snape remained silent.

"How have you come to favor Hadrian so quickly?"

Snape didn't answer.

"Minerva, Filius, Pomona all say similar things you know? He must truly be a marvel! Of Course, he reminds me of another student though" said Dumbledore. His tone was casual, but Snape understood the gravity of Dumbledore's implication.

"Charming, brilliant, polite, well behaved, polite" Dumbledore continued, "These words were used to describe another boy of a similar upbringing"

Dumbledore waited for Snape's reaction. When Snape remained still, Dumbledore sighed.

"Merely a warning Severus, don't let him go astray. Keep an eye on him for me, will you?"

Severus nodded and left.

"You're in the House team!" Blaise exclaimed, stuffing some bacon into his mouth.

"Yeah. Apparently, the lift on the rule banning first years from having their own broom also lets first years to be in the House quidditch team. I still have to try out though" Harry explained happily. Blaise whistled. "You're going make it mate. You're one hell of a flyer! I thought you were going to die for sure!"

Harry smirked.

"When are the tryouts?" Blaise asked.

"Next week"

The rest of the meal went peacefully as Harry made his way to the next class, Defense.

The Professor stood in front of them as they all seated.

"Welcome to Defense against the Dark Arts! A most beautiful subject! Now, can anyone tell me why we study this?"

Harry blinked in surprise.

 _Now this is interesting!_

Blaise looked over at Harry. Harry shrugged in response.

"Anyone!" Quirrell said scanning the crowd. Granger's unsure hand went up in the air, reluctant.

"Ah Yes…Ms.?"

"Granger" Hermione blushed.

"Yes, Ms. Granger, why do we study 'Defense Against the Dark Arts'?" Professor Quirrell looked at her expectantly.

"Well, erm, after the, um, war, against You-Know-Who, the ministry, um, felt that, a class against the dark arts was, necessary"

"Yes! One point to Gryffindor" said Quirrell. "As you all know after the war against the dark lord the ministry brought a number of reforms into effects. Classification of magic became strict. Branches of magic were strictly divided into the 'Light' or the 'Dark', for example the branches of necromancy and divination, which were formerly considered as abstract branches of magic became divided into the light and dark respectively. Offensive spells especially were victims of this classification. Of course, there is no such thing. Magic is unbiased. It is guided only by power"

Most first years sat confused, wondering what the defense professor was getting at. A majority of them were hooked nonetheless. Harry on the other hand sat frowning, suspicious. What Quirrell was spouting was almost an exact citation of what Borgin used to tell him.

"Most of you are probably wondering what it is that I'm trying to say, and I admit the topic is probably far too complicated for a first year to comprehend. However, you need to have enough awareness and understanding of magic to not make distinction based on the biased reforms of magic. Any questions? No? Very well then, let us learn our first spell!"

Harry didn't know what to think at this point. The defense class was not what he was expecting. He supposed he'd just have to go with it.

 **AN**

 **An extremely short chapter, I know. However, I just went through surgery a month ago and have been busy to catch up on all my work, and I probably will be for some more time. My exams are really close now, you know how it is. I realize that it was probably better to make you guys wait but I couldn't resist the temptation of posting this. This chapter will get another update and will most definitely be above 5k words. Do review and tell me what you think. Am I taking too big a plot risk making Quirrell a totally different character? Do you like it or Hate it?**

 **Also Full Disclaimer (AFD) I MIGHT CHANGE IT and go back to the canon version of events. Oh, and if I make any factual errors do point it out. I will fix the acromantula thing.**

 **Just a trivia question: How many times does Harry actually catch the snitch in the books?**

 **May the force be with you.**


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